I like to be informed on local and world news, there's so much going on. I feel like it's my responsibility to know what's happening. I’ve always felt this way.
So when Stephen called me a news junkie last week, I was shocked. I never thought it was a problem. My reaction was, “What? I'm just passionate, that's all.”
So we talked about it. Turns out I read or watch BBC, CBC, CTV, PBS, Google News, even Facebook, CJAD and CBC news talk radio.
It was when I realized there's hardly time for music anymore that I agreed, “That's not right.”
Since Donald Trump took office my interest in politics skyrocketed. There's no question. And like so many, the news angers, worries and frightens me. It’s not just my future; it’s my children’s future.
What’s really distressing is the elephant in the room when family gets together. We're not on the same page, so politics is taboo. When it comes up, as it usually does sooner or later, emotions heat up (mine sure do) and things get really uncomfortable. My bad. I get passionate when US politics is involved—and I don’t even live there!
Enough is enough. It’s time to break this bad habit. Politics is important, but it’s not good to get sucked into a vortex of fear.
So I skipped the evening news a few times last week. You know what? There’s a real difference in my body, my demeanor and my sleep. If I hadn’t thought more closely about what was so ‘important’ to me, I probably wouldn’t have made the connection. Ah, the power of mindfulness. ☺
I still follow the news, but less obsessively. No more news at bedtime. Some headlines are always horrific. How can anyone expect to sleep properly after that?
There’s not much good news, but there was some this week. I just sighed in relief along with everyone else, as we watched ordinary people and experts from all over the world work together to rescue members of the Thai soccer team from the underwater cave. Despite the sad death of that young navy seal, it was a relief to be united with, not divided from others as the news came in.