Tag: bad news

Categories
motivation

Is Any Time a Good Time For a Good Scare?

Cartoon of a girl and a ghost

I’ve never been much of a horror movie fan. The term good scare sounds like an oxymoron to me. With all the news about pandemics and quarantines these days, I’m in even less of a mood for a good scare.

I’ve had to take some breaks from the news lately. Yet, I’ve also wanted to stay informed. It is possible to do both. Much of the news can be condensed to one half-hour segment. We don’t need to be immersed in all of the updates 24/7.

No time is a good time for a good scare. This isn’t a convenient time. But since we are in a crisis, there are some things you and I can do to balance the bad news.

  • Go on a media fast for the morning. Don’t start your day with the news, until you’ve had a chance to get your bearings for the morning.
  • Read some inspirational material before you begin your day. a paper version would be better since you won’t be distracted by news alerts.
  • Spend some time in prayer or meditation.
  • Text or call a friend and let them know how much you appreciate them.
  • Write a gratitude list.
  • If you’re working from home, get showered and dressed as if you were leaving for work.

There are many things we can’t control. But we can control how we start our day and what goes into our minds. Nix the scary stuff first thing in the morning.

Cartoon of a girl and a ghost

Categories
motivation

Surfing the Information Tsunami

cartoon of a woman tossing her smartphone
Copyright Kevin Spear

Like many of us, I have a bad case of FOMO: Fear of Missing Out. I like to be in the know. After all, if I am going to blog anything, I need to have information, right? If I am going to write about a business trend or positive philosophy, I need to be in the know, right?

cartoon of a woman tossing her smartphone
Copyright Kevin Spear

My wife kids me when I get alerts for Twitter accounts I follow. I get breaking news alerts for the latest doom and gloom news. Occasionally, I need to put my phone on “Do Not Disturb” in order to break my train of thought. Even then, it is too easy for that thought train to derail and spill my brain granules all across the landscape.

In the pre Internet years, we had information gatekeepers in the form of editors and television producers. They sorted through all the junk for the public. Now, anybody with a phone can be an information provider. In one alert, I see news about a homicide, SWAT standoff or traffic travesty. The next moment, I get an alert about twenty surly kittens that will make you laugh your socks off. Even if I was doing nothing at the time, that is quite a whiplash of discordant information!

I know! Just the fact that I am writing a blog contributes to this tsunami. My goal is to contribute positively and be an encouragement in a negative world. Still, Here is one more town crier attempting to make his voice heard above the crowded field.

So here is for myself and for others that are feeling the same information wave overtake them.

  • Take a breath and relax. While there is always something going on in the world, I don’t have to be aware of everything. If it is important, I’ll hear about it sooner or later.
  • I don’t have to be the first one in my circle to hear breaking news. Let someone else have FOMO while I am getting things done.
  • I will be discerning in my information consumption. If I am getting down because of a series of bad news, I need to either get away from the news or find some good, uplifting stories.

FOMO and bad news can affect my productivity. I choose to have more than a Breaking News! perspective.

Categories
motivation

One of the Cures for Anxiety

Cartoon of a boy and a shark. The shark says, "Hey, Buddy! Let me know when you're going to get in the water, okay?"

Anxiety has become endemic in our society. We fear the present, future and the guy in the next car. The news terrifies us, marketing feeds on our insecurities and the workplace can be a challenging mix of deadlines, earning reports and lofty goals. Yes, it can weigh a person down.

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Proverbs 12:25 NLT

One cure for the common case of anxiety is an encouraging word. If you’re not getting much of it, start to become an encourager. A simple thank you does wonders. Make a point to see positives in every situation and call them out.

It’s too easy to worry. Let’s start to bring encouragement back to those around us. That said, I’d still be suspicious of courteous sharks!

Categories
Attitude motivation

How About Some Good News?

Cartoon of two cups. One is a styrofoam cup and says, "The news doesn't bother me. I'm very insulated against the world."

There are some days when it seems the best way to stay positive is to shun any news program or alerts and flee to a forest guaranteed to have no cell signal or wifi. I’ve found checking the news in the morning is the worst. Was the world really that bad while I slept? It makes me yearn for some refreshment.

Good news from far away is like cold water to the thirsty.

Proverbs 25:25 NLT

Seek some good news today. If you are in a place where Daylight Saving Time is observed, celebrate you had an extra hour to sleep in this morning. Spend time with someone who is positive and makes you feel alive. Create good news by being generous or doing a kind act for someone.

Too often, we gravitate towards bad news. It generates fear and dread. Seek some good news and be refreshed as you start a new week and month. After all, in the United States, November is a good month to focus on gratitude.

Categories
motivation

No Longer a Slave to Fear

Cartoon of son standing on sleeping dad. The son says, "Wake up, Dad! It's time to fearlessly face the day!"

There was a time I would let fear dictate my actions. If I’m honest, I’d say it was as recently as last night. It’s a constant battle to vanquish all the bad news and doomsayers from my mind. It’s a shame our minds are wired to ignore good news and focus on all the doom and gloom.

But today is a new day. It is full of potential. Nobody really knows what tomorrow will bring. So why not face it with courage? Why not be fearless?

I have to be intentional to do that. If I run by autopilot, If I allow the latest headline to dictate my mood, I can become a slave to fear rather quickly. But that’s not how we would like to live, is it?

Take some time today to find the good. One great resource I recommend is The Good News Network. Read something inspirational, such as The Bible. Be intentional in finding something to be grateful for. We don’t have to be slaves to fear today.