Good morning. Usually, I do like to talk about happy situations, things, or issues but today, I want to be honest about something. I am sure that by now almost ninety-nine percent of Americans are now completely stressed out or on their way to being completely exhausted with all of the sad, violent, depressing, demanding, panic-inciting, and constant news coverage that is being spread across social media, our televisions, and phones.
Remember How It Used To Be?
There used to be a time where if we wanted to even watch the news, we had to turn to the channel. If we didn’t, we weren’t bothered with it. There used to be a time where the news was not only informative but helpful in every aspect ninety-nine percent of the time. Now, the news is a daily shot of depression, despair, confusion, panic, and uncertainty. If you don’t select it on your television, you will get a pop up or something from another device of yours or someone you know will bring it to you. Problems are constantly being brought to light but with no real solution. Now people are reacting on guesses or chances. It is as if hardly anyone has the ability to think and rationalize anymore for themselves. As my father used to say, “Judge soundly and deal with facts.” If it isn’t based on a solid fact, don’t be so hasty to react because sometimes our quickest reaction isn’t always the best. Sometimes we need to take time and think about how we are going to react to things in order to do our very best to make sure that we don’t do anything that could end in not benefiting us or someone else. For example: If someone comes to me and says “Hey GG, I heard that we need to all buy a solar panel for our home before they run out completely! Girl, they are buying them out fast!” The first thing I’m going to do is think over that and consider the fact that I may not have all of the equipment needed to have a solar-operated home, I may not have the money to buy everything needed, and there may be another way to provide power to my home that is more affordable for me based on my wallet, my lifestyle, and etc. My point is, There has been panic in the United States more than ever since the pandemic and the news isn’t helping much.
What Good News?
We aren’t seeing or reading news reports of people respecting that there is still a health crisis going on right now; helping one another more than hurting one another. We aren’t hearing about the children feeling better enjoying their childhood. Instead, they’ve been made to replace play time and their care-free childhood for a stressful education in division of politics. Families are barely having time to spend with one another. Instead, they’re rushing to do everything else. Families are falling apart due to financial despair. Men who are heads of households are feeling far more pressure than they should; trying to provide for their families but every time they get room to breathe, laws and things are changing (what seems to be) every week causing them to have a harder time instead of things getting easier. Mothers are having to work two or three jobs with their husbands just to keep the family afloat. College students aren’t getting to enjoy their college years anymore. They’re stressed out now worrying about money and trying to keep their sanity while at the same time, trying to maintain honor roll. I could keep going but you get the point. Where’s the REAL help? Where’s the REAL good news?
If we are going to be informed about things, doesn’t it make sense that we be informed on the solution to the problem as well? A sound solution at that? Do we want to take a chance and spend our life savings on a whimsical guess? Or do we want to at least spend it in a way where we can see where the money went everyday that we wake up (as a worthy investment)?
Confusion and Uncertainty
The thing is, the whole point of it being called “the news” is to provide is with sound, beneficial, and rare information that we can’t get anywhere else. Now it is just about the same as turning to a gossip channel and seeing what the tea is as they say and even worse, we don’t have to ask for it. When you do hear it, it’s depressing. You get the feeling before they finish announcing the summary of it that there will be more bad news. It is now being pushed on just about everyone unless you disconnect altogether from all of your technical devices. That’s a shame. Confusion is the news now. Confusion spreads like wild-fire and sometimes takes forever to get under control. It is toxic to our health mentally and physically. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t stay informed and up-to-date with things are important. I’m simply saying the news is toxic now. It’s not what it used to be. There is no real news of hope but instead, panic, fear, and uncertainty. I’m not even saying much about the networks. I’m saying the content is so diluted and polluted now because there is little to no hope within that content. If there is a fraction of good news, it is usually something we already learned just from talking with our neighbor or relative.
Some people have unplugged from the news altogether for weeks at a time. Its been over a year now since the pandemic started and that has gotten worse. People are still having to unplug for weeks at a time just to maintain their sanity and feel better. In the words of the late Marvin Gaye, “what’s going on?”
Filtering Information For Better Health Is My Choice
Personally, I decided to filter the information that i digest known as “news” for health purposes. Meanwhile, I put my trust in God, pray constantly, and put more energy and focus to doing everything that I know to be right as well as think on good things. In the Bible it is mentioned how “out of our heart comes the issues of life.” It is good to let good and helpful thoughts process through our minds as much as possible and throw away the bad. You know how sometimes we can get bad news so heartbreaking till we grab our chest and it literally feels as if our heart is breaking? Yes, it is real. So, It starts in the mind. Maybe if we can get better control of our minds and ourselves, we can better filter the bad and hold on to the good and be more healthy. “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” If we think good, we can be good and if we be good, we can do good. Why not?
Be kind, Stay safe, and stay alive
GG
Mom Life Lessons w/GG 