How You Can Have Better Days Simply By Monitoring What You Read & Watch

Scenario:

You are surfing the internet and the following headlines appear.  Which ones do you read?

1. Suspect in priest slaying hospitalized

2. Alleged killer answers callback from 911

3. Sick game played on fatal car ride

4. Lipstick killer still behind bars

5. 2 Men Die in Multiple Car Crash

The alternaview:

The alternaview is that you don’t choose to read any of these headlines because the reality is what you put into your brain and what you focus on impacts your life.  We should always make a concerted effort to strategically select the type of things and information we will choose to pay attention to.

Take a look at those headlines again.  You would really think I had made some of them up, but these are all articles that appeared on major news networks last night.  Can you imagine how you would feel after spending a good 30 minutes reading all of these articles? (uplifted and happy are not the first adjectives that come to mind).

Don’t just read whatever you can get your hands on or what is in front of you.  It is not a great idea to just watch the local news because it is on.  We need to be selective about the information we allow into our field of focus. Think of the information as food and you can have that healthy food, or you can absorb junk food that may satisfy your curiosity, but ultimately will not put you in a better place and could even possibly lead to you feeling down.

You are not missing things just because you are not aware of all the drama going on in the world.  You are not being callous nor are you disconnected to what is going on around you because you choose to not notice every issue and challenge that people you don’t know are facing.  You don’t have to focus on every little episode that happens just because the media is focusing on it.  Yes, it is good to stay informed, but it is important to determine what you are going to stay informed on.  If you want some information about what is going on in your immediate surroundings, or if you feel there is information relevant to your job or your life, then by all means read it.  However, you should narrow the scope of what you are choosing to focus on and really only select to focus on information that is really relevant or important to you.

It is not that you choose to live in a cocoon filled only with positive news and information, but rather that you restrict the scope of that information so you are not focusing on negative things you just don’t really need to know.  There is so much information out there and while some of it is relevant to your life, career, family, neighborhood, etc., the vast majority of it is simply just not important for you to know.

When we genuinely want to integrate this alternaview into life:

1. Determine your informational (need to know) strategy. What information do you really need to know?  What information will help you develop personally?  What information is important to know for your job, interests, school, family, etc.? Determine your hit list and then don’t deviate from that.  Stay on strategy.  Keep your scope narrow.

2. Don’t just follow the direction of the media. Just because all the media outlets are reporting on it, doesn’t mean you need to know all the details.  It is amazing how many things just come and go throughout the news week.  There are literally things you just never need to know.  They serve no purpose in your life and are not providing valuable must have information.

3. Who cares if you don’t know what people are talking about? Many people say they have to be up to date with all the major headlines because people are talking about them and they need know what they are talking about.  Why?  I mean does it really matter if you don’t know news that has no impact on your life?

4. Understand that it really does matter what you put into your mind. When you really start buying into the fact that it matters what you allow in, you will be less apt to casually read things just because they are available.  You will guard your mind because you realize that you can change your outlook on life.

5. Evaluate what you really need to know. When selecting information to read and focus on, ask yourself the following questions: Is there something I can do to change this situation?  Is there some action I need to take?  Will what is happening impact my life?  Is it a matter of national security or some other really important thing going on? If the answer to the majority  of these questions is no, then most likely, this is not something you need to focus on.

6. Realize there are really not consequences to missing the news. What is the worst possible thing that could happen if you don’t know what the Octomom is currently doing?  How will it negatively impact you if you are not up to speed on her daily comings and goings? Will your day change?  Will you grow distant from your family and friends?  Will you not receive that next promotion at work? Will you not graduate from college or grad school?  Everything changes and news is fleeting.  The reality is that if something is huge, you will hear about it one way or another.  Huge things that you really need to know are almost impossible to miss.  You would literally have to walk around with sound proof headphones and blinders on.  The important things you just can’t miss will rise to your attention one way or another.

Just because there is so much news available, doesn’t mean that we have to subject ourselves to negative news overload.  Like many other things in life, we get to choose.  We need to make certain we are strategically selecting what news we will grant access…this is the alternaview.

How do you choose what news to read?  Is this something you strategically focus on?  Have you already integrated this alternaview into life?  If so, is it working?

Related Alternaviews:

Just do you…But, Do it right

Understanding the Importance of Balance in Life

The Same Experience…A Different Perspective