If you keep up with the news now on offer 24/7, it does seem like these times are scary. I don’t need to remind you about all the worrisome news headlines because you are reading and hearing about them so much already.
But is what’s presented in the news really reflective of what’s happening? Surely, at minimum, it presents only one side of our big human story, a skewed view of the world as a scary place. I’m not saying that challenges don’t happen, but the world is also a place filled with wonderful people, events, comebacks, healings, turnarounds, transformation, and miracles. And it is certainly filled with many ordinary peaceful days.
The problems is that good news rarely makes the news. It’s just ignored. If one out of 10 people has a problem, that’s the person you will hear about. You won’t be hearing about the nine people doing well.
I trained and worked as a journalist. There is a concept called news hooks – it means that journalists are looking for certain elements that they believe make a good story, a story that will be popular and sell ads. Fear, conflict, and violence are popular and powerful news hooks. People tune into the news way more when there is drama. Yes, there is an element of education in the news, but there is a much stronger element of wanting to attract the biggest numbers of people to sell ad revenue. And one way to attract people is to freak them out.
You get to decide what you focus on, where you bring your attention. With your self-talk, you can remind yourself to notice the good, acknowledge it, and celebrate it. It’s all around us! But it’s not as attention-grabbing as drama, so you need to seek it out and give it a chance to make an impression on you.
Here is some good news to think about:
Sea turtles are making a comeback from extinction. Humpback whales too, going from a few hundred to 25,000.
Billions of people are healthy and well today.
Children who have healed are now playing outside with their friends.
Dedicated groups and individuals are caring for their communities.
People are enjoying the sun on their faces right this moment.
Teachers are giving their all to our children.
Many people are in love: with their partners, with their pets, with life, with themselves.
Young adults are graduating from university – it still remains an incredible achievement!
4855 people waited in line in the rain for hours to take a stem cell test to help save a 5 year old boy with a rare cancer.
Firefighters extinguished fires and saved lives today.
In pooch news, the Netherlands has become the first country with no stray dogs.
Great news for our bees: London has created a green corridor of flowers; Holland planted green roofs on their bus stops as bee refuges; and a vaccine was developed in Finland to keep bees healthy and well.
In one Indian village, they plant 111 trees each time a baby girl is born. So far, they have planted more than 350,000 trees.
In personal good news, I saw five majestic bald eagles fly across the sky today. The sight filled with me awe and gratitude. Last week, my chiropractor made my neck feel so much better. Two weeks ago, my close friend happily married a kind, loving, strong and generous man.
And if you want more good news, you have the power to do good, and be kind, and care more, and love more, so that there will be more good news.
My self-talk:
I notice and celebrate the good inside of me, and all around me.
There is amazing good news everyday.
I am contributing to the good.
I am safe.
I am grateful to be alive.
I can make this world an even better place to live.
Kindness is always possible.
My body is healthy and strong.