There’s so much negativity going on in the World, especially right now. #PrayforUkraine
Why does it always seem like negative news dominates the headlines? Turn on the news, check your favorite news app first thing in the morning and what do you see? Stories of disaster, corruption and incompetence. Could it be that we’re drawn to downright depressing and negative news stories without even consciously realizing it?
Do journalists and investigators seek out the gritty headlines or do us as readers go looking or only click onto the negative news content?
During times like these it can be extremely difficult to not get pulled down by all the bad things happening around us, some closer to home than others but they all take a toll.
There’s certain steps you can take to help avoid this from happening if you find your anxiety and stress levels rising to dangerous levels. Don’t let it get so bad before you do something about it.
Try seeking out the positivity and taking certain steps and precautions to avoid so much negativity. It’s important to know what’s going on in the World and not be oblivious to things just because they’re not nice…unfortunately that’s life. However, it’s important to protect your mind when it starts to become too much.
Limit Exposure – Maybe consider deleting the news apps from your phone so you only actually see the news on the T.V, on newspapers and possibly when you’re scrolling through social media if people share certain things etc. Also cut your social media time, don’t scroll through Facebook or Instagram one last time before you close your eyes at night, don’t be tempted by well and tactically designed Youtube thumbnails. You may not think it at the time, but those 5 minutes reading through awful news stories or negative comments will inevitably have an affect on your mental well being.
Positive People
Once again you’ve succumbed unintentionally to the negativity. You may have friends or neighbors that like a good gossip about a certain individual or situation. There might be that one person in your friendship circle that deep down you don’t actually like very much because they’re always so negative about things but you put up with them for the sake of everyone else. No more!
Surround yourself with positive people who truly have your best intentions at heart. When you surround yourself with positive influencers and reduce then energy D’suckers’ you’ll feel better. It becomes easier to focus on your goals, feel better about yourself and stay motivated and energized because the people around you now always want what’s best for you.
Having a mantra – Come up with some prepared statements almost like affirmations to say to yourself and help silence those negative voices in your head. This is like being your own Cheerleader pushing yourself through something tough and coming out on the other side stronger. For example you could say to yourself, ‘you CAN do hard things,’ ‘you ARE good enough,’ ‘it is going to be okay.’
Grab a pen – Writing things down never seems to get old and will always be recommended. A lot of the time people don’t say what they’re thinking or feeling out of fear; if you’re not sure how people will react to something you will most likely just keep it to yourself. All that eventually builds up until you reach your breaking point. Something as simple as writing down how you feel about something can help so much, it gives you a release. You don’t even have to keep what you wrote, write it down, read through it, take a deep breath and throw it all away.
Be thankful – Whilst you sympathize and deeply feel for the human beings going through such atrocities you often see on the news, be sure to pray for them and keep them in your thoughts but also let it be a brutal reminder of how good you have it. Think about all the little things you have to be thankful for, maybe you don’t have everything you would like in life right now. Maybe you sometimes feel like something is missing. Don’t let that be your sole focus, remember what you do have that some out there don’t. A room over your head. Food in the fridge, freezer and cupboards filled with snacks etc. Nice clothes. Hot water and heating. A lot of these things are probably basic necessities that we grow too comfortable with and forget to be thankful for them.
Family & Friends – When things seem so negative around us, all over the world, it’s important to have people to talk to about wider issues. You won’t be the only one feeling the way you do, studies have shown having supportive friends and family around is a strong protective factor against mental health issues and helps to increase our mental well-being.
You can’t change the stories that get published or ‘aired’, you can’t tell people what to post about on social media, you cannot control what other people say or do. What you can do is control how you react and what you allow yourself to be exposed to. Remember to protect yourself, take precautions to shelter yourself from certain things because your mental well-being matters just as much as anybody else’s.
By Leander Rose 
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