Staying up in a down economy
Yesterday I got this note from a reader, and instead of sending my reply back to just her, I thought I'd share my response here because I'm sure she's not the only one wondering how to navigate these tough economic times.
Hello Kristen,
I enjoy reading your blog. I literally have it filed under "Happy Blogs" because your post are always cheerful. I admire your ability to stay focused and disciplined about frugal living and homemaking and your wonderful pictures. My question is, what do you think about the financial crisis? How do you stay so calm and optimistic when it seems like the future looks bleak for America?
Before the crisis, I was very focused at work and at home. I cooked healthy food for my family, regularly exercised, stayed focused at work and was generally happy and felt blessed. Over the past two years I have become a mess. I started reading what caused the economic mess we got in as a country and now I worry all the time. I want to get back to the happy way I was before but I just can't. Do you have any advice?
Gail
First off, I have to say that I totally love that you have a "Happy Blogs" file...that's awesome! Hanging around happy people is definitely a good way to ward off the blues...happiness is kind of contagious.
And I'm quite honored to have made it into the Happy Blog file. Yay!
Something that struck me when I first read your email is that you started reading about the economic mess, and that plunged you into a state of despair and worry.
While I don't necessarily advocate a head-in-the-sand approach to life, I do think that sometimes we consume more news than is good for us.
You've probably noticed that most of the news you read/see/hear isn't good news....bad news is more sensational and interesting and it just flat-out sells better.
So, if you absorb a lot of news, you're probably going to feel a little bit depressed. A constant feed of depressing news will not lift your soul, and sometimes being a little bit uninformed is a very healthy thing.
Not only is a lot of news bad news, a great portion of it is beyond our sphere of control. Sometimes, we need to hear bad news so that we can prepare ourselves (a tornado is coming) or so we can act (sign a petition, vote for/against xyz).
But a lot of the bad news we hear isn't anything we can act on or fix. It just frustrates/depresses us and we are no better off for having heard it.
I personally think that a lot of the economic news over the past few years falls into this category. The over-arching problems and underlying causes aren't something most of us can fix, so hearing about them does nothing but make us feel like the sky is falling.
So, here's my advice for you: Stop reading about the economy.
Just stop, cold-turkey.
The economy will do what the economy will do, and throwing yourself into a state of frozen depression isn't going to help things a bit.
In fact, that's the opposite of what will help.
Suppose that things really are as bad as the media says they are. Suppose it's a worst-case scenario type of thing. How should you respond?
I'd say that you should focus at work, cook healthy food for your family, exercise, and focus on your blessings...the same kind of stuff you should do if the economic sky is not falling.
If your financial house isn't in order, I do think it would be wise to work on fixing that, but I'd offer that identical advice no matter what the state of the economy.
Although I purposely keep myself from consuming a lot of news, I do occasionally read articles about how food prices are going to go up or about how gas prices will rise. And sometimes, a momentary wave of panic rides over me.
But then I just remind myself that the best thing is to keep on with the frugal living that I do...I should keep on living within my means, keep on saving, keep on shopping second-hand, keep on cooking, keep on conserving gas, keep on packing lunches, and keep on trying to support local businesses.
Beyond that, there's not much I can do, and worrying over the state of things is just a waste of energy.
I don't know what your spiritual beliefs are, but since you asked what keeps me up, I'll share that my faith buoys me up in hard times. I know God loves me, I know that He's working good in my life all the time (not necessarily ease, but good), and because of that, I don't spend a lot of time worrying about the future. I know that God will give me the grace to handle whatever He sends my way, so I just rest in that. It'll be ok because someone who loves me perfectly is taking care of me. 🙂
I also have some great contentment tools under my belt, and while I use them now, I know that they'll be even more helpful/necessary if economic times get crazy hard.
If you've missed my contentment posts, you may want to give them a read
That got kind of long, didn't it? If you're the type to scan through things and read only the end, here's the Cliff's notes of my advice:
Stop feeding yourself a steady diet of bad news about stuff you can't control.
Instead, focus on what you ought to be doing.
(which is probably exactly the same thing you should be doing even if all the news were good).
___________________________
Readers, what do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Do you have advice for Gail?
p.s. Just to clarify, I don't think all news is bad, nor do I think it's wrong to watch/listen to news. But, as with all things we consume, I think it's wise to consider whether or not it's helpful. The answer won't be the same for everyone, but for me, lots of news = not helpful.
What a great answer.
I now limit the amount of news that I watch. I stopped after having a scene in book "The Secret Life of Bees" stuck in my head. One of the characters literally takes on the weight of the world and she becomes unable to see a way past the hardships and to all the beauty that is around.
Amen about the too much news! I also find the way it is delivered (on TV) to be rather disturbing - all the talking heads smiling their plastic smiles as they talk about all the horrid things that happened today. No thank you.
I agree with you. Several years ago there were a serious of gruesome serial murders committed by a man in our area and that was all that was on the news for weeks. I got very involved in following that story, until finally I realized it wasn't a healthy "hobby". I have since quit watching TV news entirely. I occasionally flip on a local station during stormy weather for updates, but that's it. I get weather information online and just barely skim the news headlines online or in our local newspaper. Whether it's about murders or the economy, it all seems to be bad news...or celebrity gossip...and nothing about those things enhances my life. I'm a little out of touch now, but much happier since I stopped watching and reading news.
Here's my thoughts on why the news tends to be unpleasant. "News" is what is unusual. (I'm leaving aside the celebrity gossip, I have no explanation for that.) So in a sense it's good that the news contains negative things - that means the negative things are the unusual things.
Very good WilliamB
Unlike most other blogs, I love reading the comments on this one. WilliamB, I always enjoy your comments- always right on!
I agree with the too much news! I just read our local newspaper so I know what's going on in our community and surrounding area; otherwise it does get depressing.
We pretty much do the same things as you; keep on shopping second hand (most of the time), conserve gas, grow and preserve as much of our own food as possible, cook as much from scratch as possible and live well within our means. We take every bit of overtime or side work we can get and put that extra money towards paying off our mortgage or other household expenses, instead of spending it friviously.
I agree whole-heartedly. Many years ago we moved to a major metropolitan area from a less populated midwestern city. At first I watch the local news and we never wanted to go anywhere, because of all the crime we heard about. Once we stopped watching the local news and just got out there everything was fine. You do what you can and don't worry about the things you cannot change.
I 100% agree with you about filtering what we watch on TV/ read on the internet. Last week I tuned in to see what was on Oprah. It was a horrible and disturbing story that I won't repeat here. I watched for a few minutes, and I was becoming almost sick to my stomach, wondering how there could be such evil in the world. And then I realized - watching this story does nothing for me personally and that I didn't want to send myself into a spiral of worry and sadness about the state of the world. One of the things I've learned from this blog is the importance of effectively using my time and being cheerful throughout the day. So, what did I do? I flipped over to reruns of America's Funniest Videos. Not exactly using my time effectively, but when I need a chuckle, I find AFV fits the bill!
Agree.
Great advice. I've spent way less time reading about or watching the news in recent years. It makes me depressed, too. I do like a previous poster and skim through the newspaper headlines 1-2x per week to read what's "important." I can't handle much more than that.
Thanks for sharing this email. As did everyone else I agree. I try to limit the news especially when you realize that news is not as unbiased as it used to be. In this day and age of big media corporations there always seems to be an agenda behind the "national" or CABLE news stations. Of course we don't have cable so I don't have to deal with those news outlets.
Over the past 18 months my husband and I have been working on getting out of debt (Dave Ramsey style) and I don't seem to be worried AS MUCH about the economy because I know we can handle it. While we may not be debt free yet we are ALOT better off than we were 18 months ago and I know by the beginning of next year we'll be debt free except for our house and working on fully funding our emergency fund so if something bad happens we're able to handle it.
I also have to say I agree with your statement that your faith buoys you in the rough times (as well as the good times).
I hope Gail, as well as your other readers with these feelings, realize that a big part of living a happy life is making the life you have as happy as you possibly can with what we are given.
Thanks again for all of your ideas and encouragement. I truly enjoy following your blog and one day will get brave enough to try some of your recipes I keep reading!
(sorry I kinda got long winded).
While I completely agree with you Kristen, I know some people will say, "But you have to stay informed! Knowledge is power!" The key thing to remember when cutting out news (FOX, MSN, CNN, etc) is that they are MAKING MONEY!!! If you don't watch, they don't make money. Daily news is a fairly new concept. One hundered years ago, people got by just fine without daily news, even local daily news. So if you are worried about the state of the Union--as we all are--but don't want to be obbsessed with it, start by being the citizen that you wish everyone was. Save, pray, work, help your neighbor in need, and love and appreciate the rights that you have.
As a side note--please be an infomed citizen. Know who your senator and representatives are, know who represents you in your state government and in your city or district, and know what they stand for. These are the people who use your voice.
I ninth that opinion - I was recently on vacation at my in-laws house, where - of course - I *don't* control the TV.
And there was a lot of news. Too much. That's why I like this internet machine so much - I can look for news when I want to, but don't have to subject myself to the super-duper over-dramatic making-the-problem-worse kind of morbid entertainment that most news (US & Canadian, by the way) has become.
Very good advice Kristen! I stopped watching the news years ago. What really bothered me about it is that they would go over and over and over one incident that happened, all day long...it truly is all about money. We do need to guard our hearts, souls, minds and eyes from things that just are not beneficial.
A news station is on 24/7 at Mr. FG's work and he says the same thing...they rehash and rehash and rehash. Bleah.
Kristen, Great post and excellent advice!
I do listen to the news, but for me it's in the background of my life--what's in the forefront is my job, my family, etc. I think it's all a matter of perspective.
Amen and amen! We don't have TV service but my husband is an Internet News/Politics Junkie, although I don't think he would admit that. He talks politics more than I care to hear. A lot of my answers are of the uh-huh variety. Or if I do listen I forget pretty fast because I just don't care to spin my wheels that way. People who watch a bunch of negative TV have (surprise!) negative attitudes. We can do ourselves a favor and back away. We will be a much happier persons for it.
I do think that some people can manage to listen to a lot of negative news and remain happy...I just know that I can't. And it sounds like the reader who wrote in with the question can't either. 🙂
I consume a lot of news. I agree with FG, I think it depends on the person and how the news is consumed. My goal is to read no more than two articles on a given story.
I am the 11th to agree, I have my own personal filter.A number of years back I had a whole bunch of sad things come down on me,, one after another another.I just told God I couldn't take anymore,, I asked him to take this burden from me.I know it sounds selfish but it was the turning point for me.I guess what I;m saying is faith is a great healer.
Although I totally agree that obsessing over some of the more lurid news stories does nothing good for our mental health and should be avoided, I don't think we should let ourselves be uninformed about the important issues of the day. Reading a newspaper gives you a bit more control over what news you let into your life. I also listen to public radio news and find it less sensational than the TV news. We all need to know about what is happening in the world and about the economic and political issues that affect our lives. Otherwise, how can we be informed voters or plan for the future. Do we really want to live up to the stereotype of the bubble headed houswife? Focusing on our families and taking care of their needs is great, but we are also citizens and part of a world community.
I also feel like reading news on the internet makes it easier to filter out the garbage from the important stuff...plus, it's so much faster than watching news on TV. I get really impatient with how long it takes to impart information on TV.
In the case of the reader who wrote in, it sounds like the blues from the media stories about the economy were causing her everyday life to come to a standstill. Given the choice between that and being a little bit uninformed, I'd choose being a little bit uninformed, at least about the economic climate.
Hi FG, I love, love your blog! I am with you, avoid the news!!! After my husband lost his job in this economy over 2 years ago, I stopped paying attention to the news. I went into pure survival mode. I've learned to concentrate on our family and our small community of friends. As a stay at home mom to a almost 16 and 10 year old (I work at a seasonal job, part time), it has been beyond tough to watch my husband, the provider, struggle to prove himself in the job market. Turned away from interviews time and again because he was "overqualified". By the grace of God and with help from our family and church, we have been able to stay above water. After many ups and downs, my husband is back to work at the moment. What our future holds is hard to say. We took a huge hit financially and it will take years to recover. I try not to think about that now. But we also gained so much from this experieince. As husband and wife we talk more, love more, and laugh more. My children have gotten to spend priceless time with their dad. They've come to understand hardship and are thankful for what they have. We live in the moment and believe that God will provide. So tune out the news Gail and look for the good in life. It's all around!
P.S. FG I made your oatmeal cookies for a family picnic...Yum!!
Excellent Kristen. We can panic and let the news control our peace or let God. And then do our part in living within our means for sure and use creative ways to do that. I have been reading some books on the great Depression and how people coped with a lot less than we have now and it has "encouraged" me to press in enjoy where I am right this moment for it is the only moment I can control my attitude over. Thanks again.
Joan
Totally agree. We haven't watched news broadcasts in years but here is Canada the stations have very short pod casts that summarize the news of the day in about 10 minutes. Reduces the obsessive dwelling on terrible details and we can also control how often we expose ourselves to bad news. I also listen to the radio on my morning runs and find that one 5 minute news report on the hour will fill me in on what is current without my having to sit and watch a half hour tv broadcast. I find visual images are too powerful sometimes.
I agree! I do follow news and politics pretty closely, but I try to filter it pretty well and not consume too much. For instance, I don't watch the news on television--I get almost all of my news from the internet. That way, I can avoid all of the sensationalist stories about murdered children and robberies and whatnot that seem to dominate the TV news. (Which isn't to say I never stumble upon that type of thing, but I rely on a few dependable sites for my news).
Like you, Kristen, I sometimes see articles about food prices going up and begin to panic. And then I realize that there's nothing I can really do about it except continue living the way I have been. If it comes time to reevaluate our grocery budget, that's another thing. But until then? I'm not going to worry about it.
I worry at times about the economy and jobs. I start to panic and my husband reminds me God will take care of us. I do limit the amount of time I watch the news and/or read the paper. It is just not worth the worry. I also think about meaningful and frugal ways the family can have fun together which also helps me to stay positive.
We do have to keep aware but the news cycle (24 hours of "alerts" or "you heard it here first") and the dramatization can cause some people to have a hard time. But I also find advertising can be a depressor to some. Get away from it.
I agree with your words "I just remind myself that the best thing is to keep on with the frugal living that I do...I should keep on living within my means, keep on saving, keep on shopping second-hand, keep on cooking, keep on conserving gas, keep on packing lunches, and keep on trying to support local businesses." Basics to keeping a happy home.
The important things are a roof over your head, food on the table, and basic clothing needs. A simple life is so much less complicated and some much more relaxing.
I love a simple life.
I grew up in a household where most of our news came through the public radio station (very little TV in general, and most of it PBS or BBC shows!). Although the public radio system may not have the political bias that everyone is looking for, I have found their general coverage to be fairly balanced between "good" and "bad" news, between local (and within my sphere of control) and national/international (for information so I'm not completely ignorant), and between "fluff" (those feel-good or just funny stories) and the more serious topics.
I do get some of my news from the internet, where it's much easier to pick and choose. My parents also taught us how to read critically, which I find to be a tremendously helpful skill in filtering out the shock-value stories from real information. I frequently end up laughing at stories because it is so blatantly obvious that the author did very little real research and is just passing along some version of "worry! the world is coming to an end!" It makes me think of those people who stand on street corners screaming about the end of the world.
So in addition to reducing the amount of news she reads, I would also say to adopt a more critical (from the examine-the-evidence definition, not the you're-just-wrong definition) view of what you ARE reading. Is it factual? Is it helpful to you in your daily life? Is it something you can affect? What's the writer's bias (and EVERY writer has a bias - there is no such thing as unbiased news), and how does that affect what the writer is revealing or not revealing in the article?
I agree completely!! The school we send our children to also agrees and we have made a very large stand with our local paper and other media outlets in our area to promote GOOD NEWS!! Student of the month information, fun upcoming school activites, photos of interesting classroom and school wide projects, etc. Granted, if you live in a massive city or a highly populated area this may be harder to take on, but see if you can find a news station or journalist who would take more suggestions about the good going on in your area and when you have an idea send it to them! The local news station we watch (when and if we watch THE NEWS) has a section called the Brighter Side and people can go online to find contact information and/or sumbmitt story ideas that revolve around things they feel are GOOD NEWS!!
It makes me feel better to know that I'm not only hearing or reading GOOD news, but also encouraging it!! Find some encouraging news in your area and make it your goal to share it with others in some way!! The smiles you see because of it are bound to make you feel better!!
I agree with EngineerMom's assesment of NPR. It is very well researched and balanced. Hopeful stories along with reality.
When I find myself discouraged by certain news/information. I think about what can I do? Since the greatest worry on my plate is related to peak oil; I try to move our lives in a direction that might be more sustainable than others.
So I arm myself with knowledge - how to grow food and preserve it, learn a new skill I think will help (how to mend clothes, etc). Some of the Doomers stock pile guns and crap like that. Most women know that the hard part of life is traditionally woman's work and we'll make do. We'll buckle down and keep our families going.
So when I get sick about the corruption and all that other stuff - I focus on building up my community and connections and my skills.
It gives me power.
Very well said.
I <3 this post Kristen! Thank you for your great answer and no, it wasn't a bit long winded. I totally appreciated your perspective and insight! Also - great flip Joshua! I'm totally jealous as I can't do that at all 🙂
I tend to take the head in the sand approach, mostly because I find news both depressing and boring! I get the big information (usually through Facebook, sadly enough) but it's just not worth my time to watch the news and see how depressing the world really is out there.
Plus, I realize that bad news sells so much better than good news, even if it isn't good for overall morale.
I am very much like the person who sent the question. I can't afford to let all the "news" into my head because it weighs me down so much. I want to be informed but most of the time I don't know what to do about the problems that we hear about. I do not have television but I am on the computer quite a bit. If there is a storm coming or something really monumental happens, people tend to tell me about it. I've lived like this for 3 years now (no television) and I don't feel like I've missed anything important. I'll also add that my relationship with God gives me strength, purpose, and focus. There are too many things in this world that distract us from what is important.
Couldn't agree more! All news -- TV, Internet, newspaper -- are all out there to make money. EngineerMom said it right, everyone has a bias. You have to have faith that you'll get through this. The Lord will provide.
I won't get started on my media soap box here, maybe I'll go off on my own blog someday. 😉
A voice of reason!! I totally agree. I only watch the news for the weather. Lately, that has been depressing enough!
I have two suggestions:
1. Don't read obsessively about the economy.
Once you have the basic data you need, stop. Reading a 5th and 6th and 7th article won't add to your body of knowledge of the subject. My general rule is that everything I need to know will be in no more than two articles. Although I have an economics & finance background I am not reading about the day-to-day shifts in the debt-limit negotiations. I read the headline and the first paragraph then stop.
2. Start exercising again.
Easier said than done, I know. For one thing, getting yourself back on track will (I expect) make you feel better: you identified a number of positive habits that you dropped and implied you are unhappy about this. So getting them back may/should/will likely make you feel better. For another, exercise is a mood elevator - it makes us feel good. (Usually. Ahem. There are days when I overdo it...) So I propose that the first habit you reestablish is exercise.
I've been following Rita's blog (the lady who learned that she would be losing her job and wrote in to you to ask for advice). She started out almost in panic, wondering how she was going to survive with her 2 kids. But she began to put her ducks in a row, figuring out what practical things she could do to better position herself (cutting expenses, deciding to go back to school, etc.). And I've noticed that the tone of her blog has changed. Instead of deeply worried, she is now empowered. She's taken control (as much as possible) of her situation and she has a plan in place.
I'd recommend this approach to Gail--figure out what you can do to better position yourself and take those positive steps. You can't control all of your circumstances, but you CAN control some things.
As far as watching news, a few years ago my dentist noticed I was grinding my teeth at night and told me to quit watching the news and reading the paper!
There's a theory about the law of attraction, in that what you immerse yourself in will happen. I'm no expert but to this day I wonder how much of the downturn across the globe has been contributed to by the way it has been reported by the media. There's nothing like talking about doom and gloom and what negative things may transpire in order to get everyone else doing the same, and soon - what do you know? It happens!
PS: I think there is something we can do about the economy. In election years we can vote for politicians who take actions that make the economy better, and not for ones who make the economy worse. In non-election years, we can write the politicans. But after we have done these things, we're done. Time to go on to the next items in our lives.
When my husband was deployed overseas to a warzone I learned really quickly that if I tuned into to anything more than a quick morning blurb of my local news that I was living in a state of constant fear that he would not make it home. Once I switched off the repeating news loop (it's amazing how few real news stories there are-mostly in a day it's the same story over and over again) I felt my world get lighter. I purposefully found activities that brought me simple joy and helped me have a sense of control over my life. I put myself to work on our goals and enjoying my life. I purposefully sought to learn any skills that would improve my life as a military wife and that would help us reach our financial goals. I also found that relativism helped me a lot. In our current economic times I remember that my grandparents survived the Great Depression. My grandfather survived the Oklahoma Dustbowl. My brother survived a dire cancer diagnosis. There is relativism to each of our challenges.
Our family got prepared to endure a possible unemployment when my husband left active duty. We planned a couple of years in advance but we had no way of knowing that economic times would be some of the worst in years when he actually got out. We survived 5 months of unemployment. We tightened our belts and knuckled down when we knew a strong wind was coming. We realized very quickly what mattered, what didn't and what we could survive on and we circled our wagons. We've carried that time into our now and have vowed never to be that scared again if we can help it. Knowing what we are capable of, that there are worse things and limiting our consumption of news is our antidote.
Great post! I think a balanced approach is a good one. I agree that watching the news is a bit more "dramatic" than necessary. I like to get my news online. I like to know what our elected officials are doing. And, I like to get involved, when necessary.
For example, our state almost passed a law recently that I totally disagree with. By getting enough signatures, the issue is going to vote... Yay for the democratic process-- but it only works if we inform ourselves and VOTE! 😉
I couldn't agree more about the news or my faith. We cancelled TV to save $, but it has helped our general outlook not having the news on all the time. My hope in Christ Jesus overshadows anything I have to face in this world. Great post!
I too avoid watching television news as it is so disturbing.
However, it sounds to me that your reader is dealing with depression. She is no longer enjoying activities that used to give her pleasure and not taking care of herself.
I would recommend that the reader talk to her doctor, counselor or other professional to get the help that she needs.
Depression is a serious issue does not easily go away.
Good luck!
Katy
Yes, that's true. Getting rid of the thing that triggered the depression may just be a start.
I'm so glad you pointed this out Katy, I was thinking the same thing as I was reading the original email question, and while changing some habits (faith, news intake, positive self talk, exercise, etc) can make a difference in depression, there is certainly room for a medical professional to weigh in.
I'm surprised to hear from a frugal girl that you are endorsing apathy instead of endorsing our government be more frugal! Apathy is part of the problem we are having with our government and our economy. I wish you would have suggested to the questioner that she contact her representatives and express her desire for the government to cut spending and get our taxes under control....much in the same way we are all cutting our budgets to make them work better for us.
I think you missed an opportunity.
Well, I don't think we need to immerse ourselves in gloomy economic news in order to vote and encourage our government to be more fiscally responsible. I don't see the two as mutually exclusive.
I don't just control the amount and type of news I consume, I do that for all movies and TV. I don't watch reality TV because it is made up, insulting to folks who have real hardships instead of pretend ones, and it is not upbuilding/uplifting or edifying. Same for friends. At one point I realized I was hanging around with people who were negative and seldom had anything to say that contributed positively to my life. Being with them encouraged me to waste time, gossip and spend money. I am not a Pollyanna; I read the NYTimes and the London Times every day on the internet (reading a foreign paper gives me some balance and another viewpoint). However, I stay away from grizzly crime stories and gossip articles. I am a LOT happier and contented, although it has taken several years to get to this point of focusing on things that inform, educate or encourage.
A hearty AMEN! to your response. In the town where I grew up there was an all news all the time radio show that my mom had on constantly. My mom has a very worrisome spirit. Even though she is a Christian, she worries and I believe it is a result of listening to the news so much. I am the complete opposite. I still worry at times but I choose not to listen to the news. I have a hubby who will tell me the important stuff because he hears it at work or from people at work. I joke and say, "Ignorance is bliss." when it comes to the news. Not to say that I don't ever listen but who has time to stay glued to the TV, computer, radio etc.? I usually will watch or listen when it is something major like 9-11 or more recently, the Joplin Tornado (live near by) but the daily, "I can't do anything about this" type of news is not for me. Thanks for posting your response for all of us to chime in on. 😉
Well said, fellow Kristen. 😀
I am a news reader in cycles. I will go through cycles in which I read the new rabidly and regularly. Then I go a few months without reading the news at all, because while I like being informed on some of the larger issues, I hate the selective nature of the news. Many stories are not stories at all in any conventional sense of the word, and many are scare mongering and speculation. There are broadly good things happening in the world, and those don't get coverage because they don't fit into the tidy structure of a news story. If the news starts making me feel desperate - if I latch onto an individual story that affects me in no way, but makes me feel scared - I know it's time for a break.
I have felt like that recently as I had to hide all Casey Anthony related posts in my Facebook feed. That story, like most upsetting violent crime stories, actually affects very few people, however terrible and sad it is. It is not really news in the sense of a broad story that has a resonating impact on the lives of many, and I don't think knowing anything about it enriches my life in any way or even makes me want to do anything positive. Although I wasn't following it, enough people around me were that I had become aware of the story in enough detail to be unhappy about it. After a while, hiding posts related to it made a big difference for me. I don't feel like an ostrich. Were it a disaster story where I could volunteer or offer money, I wouldn't look away, but so much of the news is a looky loo kind of voyeurism that leaves behind frightened feelings. I'm happy to walk away at those times.
Anyway, thanks for the good reminder as to what is constructive and why it's sometimes best to look away. 🙂
A lot of times the news anchors are the ones hyping things up. The economy probably wouldn't be so bad if people would stop saying its bad! 🙂
Kristen, you are right on mark with your answer. And yes, it is pretty impossible to have peace in life without God ruling it. Thanks for your blog, and for the inspiration, and help, it gives others.
All good things to think of and I have one more. I feel more secure too by having a pantry full to keep us going for a time if/when the economy does tank. If there is a biological situation, if weather gets out of hand, I am prepared. God will lead me to share with the right folks in those situations too. I wonder how many of us have pantry and storage for supplies. Better to have things and not need them than be in a situation and not have a thing that is needed. Just my thoughts and thanks for letting me share them.
Yes... I so agree with you and I love this post.
I find it easy to not watch TV news, as we don't have a television. (Don't get me started on all our friends who look at me with pity and offer me an extra TV they have in their garage, lol!) But... a few years ago I was reading way too much news online. It did start to become unhealthy. It was pretty difficult to give it up, but now I feel a lot better.
I don't have my head in the sand now, I do glance at the headlines a few times a day, but I'm so much happier now. I do read blogs faithfully, and the ones that are filled with contentment and joy, like yours, is much more healthy than reading the panic-filled newspapers.
Not sure if the emailer is religious or not, but I read something a long time ago that I repeat to myself (mantra style) when I find myself spiraling toward whichever negative emotion has consumed me.
This was on a church marquee:
"If it's not worth praying about, it's not worth worring about."
It's funny you used a head-in-the-sand analogy. I tell people all the time that I have adopted a head-in-the-sand philosophy and I only bother hearing about the news that seeks me out and finds me.
That is just my jokey way, of course, of saying what you so eloquently did above.
🙂
I agree you...even more so. I stopped watching the new years ago...but my husband kept watching. The last thing I need before going to bed is to take in a bunch of negative stuff to worry about! I would go to the bedroom and read while he watched it. Then when it was over, he would come in grumbling and complaining about everything on it. I finally told him if he hated it so much....STOP WATCHING IT! So now he stopped (mostly) too!
Great post, Kristen! When it comes to the news, I have largely tuned out. Too much of it is not a good thing. All we can do is keep our own house in order, keep the faith, and ride this thing out. My husband and I are preparing for a job loss and this post put me back on the bright side.
I also limit my news consumption. My hubby stays very informed and it does not freak him out, so he filters it for me and tells me what I need to know. 🙂
As far as news about the economy goes, I would like to recommend listening to Dave Ramsey's radio show. The show is mostly a call in show about personal finance, but he also talks about the US economy. The nice thing is that he has a more positive outlook instead of the doom and gloom freak out outlook. I like to listen online and get inspired about my personal finances while I clean up the kitchen: http://www.daveramsey.com/radio/home/
I love to picture you used for this post, by the way!
I couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you for posting this. :)!
It's not the quantity of news you 'consume', but the quality. I have no direct experience of the US media but am pretty selective about my intake of the British media, deliberately avoiding channels and papers that are biased or sesationalist.
I wake to the BBC Radio 4 Today programme which is a mixture of headlines, reports, interviews and comments, with a Thought for the Day thrown in for good measure. Some of it makes me angry, some of it makes me laugh, some of it teaches me things I didn't know - but all of it makes me think about the world I live in and informs the way I react to it. I generally catch the BBC News at 10 before I go to bed, but it's the radio I'd miss most of all. As the saying goes, it has the best pictures!
The only news I consume on a regular basis is on msn.com homepage. I figure if something drastic happens, I will see it there...beyond that, I don't need to know much. Sensationalism is rampart today int he media. I'd rather find happiness in every day.
I cannot believe all of the beggars and hard times in my area. We live in a high unemployment area with a great deal of poverty. I donate whatever I can to help. I pray things will get better. Everyone is preparing for another Great Depression. It is said the wars have taken so much money that things may get much worse. We just have to do the best we can. Good luck to everyone.
I am so on board with you here. I used to listen all the time to the political battles between right and left and it made me so cranky, mean and rather unpleasant. I did exactly as you said, quit cold turkey and I became my own sweet self again! Now I take in just enough to see which way the wind blows and not much else. I like being a happy, sweetie pie! 🙂
I agree do not feed yourself the bad news. However, you have to remain alert about the true condition of our nation. Seek God and follow his instruction and be found in his will. Trust the honest intuition of your heart.
I encourage families to invest in gold and especially silver. Our country could be heading or is heading on the road to inflation. We need something solid not just the commodity to back up our dollars and sense. Stock up on food have a pantry at home or purchase shelf life food. Have a filter. Sounds like an emergency, we do not know what road the country is heading to? Could food shortages come to America? Could tap water become expensive? Could we see a rise in farming, gardening, and home produced goods?
do not be stress, stay calm, cool, and collective.
Hard times can be a doorway to a brighter future.
I think this is just the post I needed. I've been feeling extremely unsettled the past few weeks and like Gail, having a hard time with focus and motivation. Now, looking back, I realize I have probably been subjecting myself to news overload and negativity. I think I do much better with the "ostritch approach". I didn't watch the news or read the papers for a long time, and never missed it so I don't know why I started again. If anything really important happens, someone will mention it. Most of it is stuff that I cannot do anything at all about, other than all the good things this blog promotes, so why am I stressing myself to the point where I cannot do those good things? I'm going to go find something I can do something positive about. Like hang some laundry.
Thanks for all the suggestions! I am taking them to heart.
I agree with the idea of not immersing oneself in the bad news about the economy.
I previously have a finance/economics background that I have since left the corporate world and am now focussing on simpler things in my life and what is really important to me.
I do listen the a few minutes of news on the radio, and skim the headlines online, but all up this is only about 5 mins a day if that.
This contrasts with the hours that I was spending watching all of the news, and then the detailed post mortems on the economy in specialised programs.
I'm reading this post a little late, but I wanted to comment and say that I very much agree with you, Kristen!
I've entirely stopped watching the night-time news. Morning news is so happy and uplifting (all those cute little stories, fun news shows, etc!) and night-time news is just so bleak and depressing (murders, economy, accidents, etc...). That is just NOT what I need to hear right before bed.