How To Navigate Through Negative Online News

How do we avoid the clutter of negativity?
(photo credit: The Sean & Lauren Spectacular on Flickr)

Currently, I'm reading a book by Joe Vitale called "The Attractor Factor," about how we can bring more abundance into our lives by clarifying our goals and keeping a positive viewpoint. In a chapter called "Step One: The Springboard," he discusses how we "create" our own life situations by our mindset, and how the world outside us is a reflection of that. More specifically, Vitale advises that what we "take in" to our mind will work to create our life situation (positive or negative):

"One way to protect yourself from the negative influences of the world at large is to abstain from them...I don't watch the news or read the papers. After a while you begin to see how you are fed one-sided, negative heavy news. None of it is designed to help my well-being."

Avoid the news? I'm the editor of a news website. I scan the news online at least 10 times a day, via feeds, Twitter, Facebook, Path, apps, the channels on my Xbox 360, and more. And guess what? There's a lot of negative stories out there.

I guess it's my own responsibility whether I "click" the headlines or not. But sometimes even reading the headlines are enough to horrify my day: "Nanny Slays Children," "Cop Planned To Eat Women," "Death," "Murder," "Horrors."

Is the News getting you down?
(photo credit: Lucas de Vries on Flickr)

It's not just the morbid headlines. It's the ones about people just making terrible life-choices. The pint-sized star of a reality show who drinks "Go-Go Juice" and is probably gestating type-2 diabetes; the teenage bride who seems to make a regular living dressing in skimpy outfits in public; formerly beloved public figures involved in "sex tapes" and pedophilia charges or doping rings.

Man, this all makes me feel down, digested the first thing in the morning.

There's the other factor of "negative" news stories that are really important for me to read (in healthy doses, not to obsess over) and be informed about -- political issues, Hurricane Sandy, the impact of climate change, neglected children, the suffering of people overseas, etc.

Ben Stiller helping victims of Hurricane Sandy
(photo credit: imgur)

But I think the KEY in reading news in those cases is to ask ourselves: "how I can I make a difference in this situation?" How do I feel empowered in the face of these crises, not hopeless? So after reading about the impact of Hurricane Sandy, me and my hubby went and donated to relief efforts. Or just trying harder to be kind and considerate to our other neighbors on this planet; adding to the "positive" side of the balance sheet of Life.

But news about a sex tape? Or a cannibal? I mean, how much can I really "do" here? Make a "Cannibal Awareness" website? This is the sort of news I have to avoid.

And as a member of the media, I need to be more cognizant of what energy I put out through my words. I waver towards the snarky in some of my pieces...are these sentiments adding to the positive or negative side of the Balance Sheet? If there is absolutely nothing good to say in a certain case, shouldn't  I say nothing at all? Or, if there is a chance I can make a change for the better, then maybe I write more forcefully -- or maybe "forcefully" is not the right sentiment, there. Instead of forceful, perhaps healing.

I've already dropped off my feeds and Twitter a number of sites that I feel have been relentlessly negative, and after months of their absence I feel much better. But there are still others I visit on a pretty "addictive" basis. I'm going to work on strategies to avoid my daily online "doses" of negativity further -- and let you know how it goes!