Although there are occasional positive stories, most of the news today is negative. The day-after-day reporting on violence, political clashes, and the aftermath of natural disasters can be overwhelming. No matter your views, the depressing truth is that today, no one is thrilled with television news.
When sadness and hopelessness overcome, TURN OFF THE NEWS!
I know that’s easier said than done. I’ve been glued to news channels for the past nine years. Like many of my friends, I’m on overload. So, I’ve come up with a list of things I can do instead.
- Read a novel
- Read magazines
- Read online journals
- Listen to music
- Play video games
- Listen to an informational podcast
- Watch a TED talk
- Take a class – online or in-person
- Watch a how-to webinar
- Walk outside in nature
- Go shopping in a physical store
- Go to a craft show
- Go to a movie theater
- Attend a live theater event or concert
- Visit your local library
- Cook or bake
- Learn to cook something new
- Shop for healthy foods
- Start a new hobby like sewing, knitting or crocheting
- Start a new activity like yoga, bicycling, or running
- Learn to paint
- Learn photography
- Build a piece of furniture – start small
- Clean the house
- Clean out closets, drawers, the attic, or the basement
- Declutter: give away, sell, or donate (or trash)
- Rearrange and redecorate
- Write a flash fiction, a short story or a novel
- Write a memoir
- Sort your old print photos
- Sort your digital photos
- Have some of your digital photos printed, put in a book, or framed
- Write a letter to a service person, child in need, seniors or disabled persons
- Mail a cheerful card to a friend or family member
- Text or email a friend you haven’t seen in a while
- Volunteer
- Plan a short or long trip – then take it!
In other words, do anything you can to take your mind off the day’s news. Fact or opinion, real or fake, it’s become difficult to tell the difference. And the prevalence of AI will continue to make it more difficult in the future.
If you feel the need to turn on the television, watch a movie, a drama/comedy series, a cooking show, or a nature documentary. For your own sanity, watch the news sparingly, as needed to stay current, or not at all.
“This too shall pass.” ~Abraham Lincoln
Hopefully.