
Reflections
By Bonnie Hutchinson
Bad news antidotes
Bad news antidotes
“I stopped watching the news,” a friend said, “because it was so scary and depressing, but I like to be informed. Lately, I’ve been watching documentaries. I thought they would not upset me so much. But after a weekend of watching documentaries about how we’re running out of water and horrible things happening all around the world, I’m left thinking the world is a terrible place.” This friend is one of the sunniest people I know–usually.
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There’s a lot of it going around. Even as spring opens up and restrictions recede, feelings like fear and pessimism are still in the air. Mass media doesn’t help. Seems like the more we find out, the more we wish we hadn’t found out.
We can’t instantly change mass media or the fact that we’re depleting planetary resources faster than the planet can replenish them. But we can do something about how we feel moment to moment. When we feel better, we might be able to change things that could use changing–like mass media and the planet.
Here are five short-term antidotes to state-of-the-world angst. What are some of your antidotes?
We can’t instantly change mass media or the fact that we’re depleting planetary resources faster than the planet can replenish them. But we can do something about how we feel moment to moment. When we feel better, we might be able to change things that could use changing–like mass media and the planet.
Here are five short-term antidotes to state-of-the-world angst. What are some of your antidotes?
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Spend time with real people. Hanging out in the virtual world makes us lose touch with real people and real things. Spend time with people you enjoy–people you care about who care about you. Spend time with people who are mostly encouraging, kind and optimistic. That will help you remember all the reasons it’s fun to be alive right now–and a privilege.
Do something. Take small actions that move toward something you believe in, something that makes you happy. Action is an antidote to paralyzing fear and depression. Even something as simple as stretching for a minute or shaking out your arms and legs can shake up downer energy and lift your spirits. So can cleaning out a small pile of clutter, or writing a cheque to a favourite cause, or doing a random act of kindness.
Thank somebody for something. It’s impossible to feel gratitude and feel depressed at the same time. Make a point of noticing something you genuinely appreciate about someone, and tell them. Write a note; send an email or text; tell them in person. You’ll both feel uplifted.
Tap into compassion. When you’re exposed to a bad news story, try to find a feeling of compassion for those affected. Consciously moving into a feeling of compassion changes your mood and energy for the better. We may not be able to change outward circumstances, but we can uplift our own emotions, thoughts and actions. That empowers us.
(There’s also some credible evidence to suggest that focused positive energy may sometimes have a measurable impact, even from a distance, but that’s a topic for another time!)
Find something to laugh about. Last week, I was in a serious conversation about serious problems for which there are no obvious quick fixes. One person told a hilarious incident from the day before. By the time the guffaws and belly laughs died down, we were all more cheerful. The serious problems seemed much less formidable.
Do something. Take small actions that move toward something you believe in, something that makes you happy. Action is an antidote to paralyzing fear and depression. Even something as simple as stretching for a minute or shaking out your arms and legs can shake up downer energy and lift your spirits. So can cleaning out a small pile of clutter, or writing a cheque to a favourite cause, or doing a random act of kindness.
Thank somebody for something. It’s impossible to feel gratitude and feel depressed at the same time. Make a point of noticing something you genuinely appreciate about someone, and tell them. Write a note; send an email or text; tell them in person. You’ll both feel uplifted.
Tap into compassion. When you’re exposed to a bad news story, try to find a feeling of compassion for those affected. Consciously moving into a feeling of compassion changes your mood and energy for the better. We may not be able to change outward circumstances, but we can uplift our own emotions, thoughts and actions. That empowers us.
(There’s also some credible evidence to suggest that focused positive energy may sometimes have a measurable impact, even from a distance, but that’s a topic for another time!)
Find something to laugh about. Last week, I was in a serious conversation about serious problems for which there are no obvious quick fixes. One person told a hilarious incident from the day before. By the time the guffaws and belly laughs died down, we were all more cheerful. The serious problems seemed much less formidable.
***
These are all quick fixes to get us through dark moments. At some point (preferably now!), we as a species do need to address some challenges that will take more than quick fixes. The world needs all of our wisdom, commitment, integrity and willingness to work with others, some of whom we may not know or trust very much.
But if, moment to moment, we can use quick fixes to restore and replenish our hope, our generosity and our clear thinking, we improve the odds of resolving thorny problems. If nothing else, many more moments of feeling better are a good enough reason for practically anything!
But if, moment to moment, we can use quick fixes to restore and replenish our hope, our generosity and our clear thinking, we improve the odds of resolving thorny problems. If nothing else, many more moments of feeling better are a good enough reason for practically anything!
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What do you do to lift your spirits when confronted with dark information? I’d love to hear from you. If you have comments about this column or suggestions for future topics, send an email to Bonnie@BonnieHutchinson.com. I’ll happily reply within one business day