On Navigating Current Events
**I initially wrote this post in February 2022, right around the time that Russia had begun escalating conflict in Ukraine, but it still seems apt in the present time.
As many of you know, I worked in government and non-profit advocacy roles for 10+ years. Due to the nature of this previous work, I usually looked at the news multiple times a day and regularly had the desire to understand and absorb what was happening in the world. In all fairness, I often needed to know what was happening in the news to be most effective at my job.
A lot has changed. Looking back, it’s honestly hard to believe I worked in the sector for so long. These days, I might check the news a few times a week. And by check, I mean I briefly scroll through the New York Times headlines and see if there is anything of interest. Quite honestly, my most recent interesting find was a NY Times article on the nature of fog in the Bay Area. One of the best articles I’ve read in a long time :) I’ll also occasionally check the Twitter feed of an investigative journalist I follow who I believe provides a much bigger picture and contextual view of what is happening in world events.
I’ve taken some time to explore the reasons for this shift in not consuming nearly as much around current events.
Maybe like many of you, I feel pretty overwhelmed by the state of the world. I’ve noticed that my nervous system actually can’t handle the sensational fear-mongering of a 24/7 news cycle. This is a relatively new phenomenon where we have access to global events 24/7 at our fingertips and it seems increasingly sensationalized. To be honest, my body is increasingly repelled by it.
While one might say it’s a tremendous amount of privilege to allow for some detachment from world events (and it is), I actually believe I can show up more fully and more centered, and potentially even contribute more with a regulated nervous system without knowing the details of day-to-day events.
At this stage in my life, I’m also more of the belief that change is going to come from the bottom up more so than the top down. What I have witnessed living in cities like Baltimore, Vallejo, and Oakland is that collective and regenerative power is building in a way that is making the old model of top-down politicians / government obsolete. I’d rather be a part of that collaborative form of power and that’s hardly ever covered in the news.
This is all to say…if you’re ever needing permission to step away, give it to yourself. Whether that’s from news, social media, endless scrolling, television, or even conversations with others about the news, let yourself notice how it impacts your energy, your mood, and your sense of connectedness to immediate surroundings and environment.
I would be remiss to not also acknowledge the very real suffering happening in the world right now and the very objective fears and uncertainties that exist. Regardless of how much or in what format you consume the news, many of us are struggling with how to show up in the world day-to-day with so much uncertainty, fear, and grief.
As a therapist, I see these uncertainties showing up in countless ways. Here are some of the most common:
Overwhelmed, even frozen somatically, by the state of the world - accompanying narrative of “who am I to enjoy my life when others are struggling so deeply?”
Challenging to feel a sense of vision and hopefulness for the future; hard to know how to best be of service in such challenging times
A desire to be a part of the change that needs to take place, but weighed down by the realities of a job, paying the bills, etc.
Social atrophy / lethargy - even with a desire to be more social, it feels hard to make plans to be social and/or get out of the house
Hobbies and activities that used to bring a lot of joy are feeling dull and not as meaningful (potentially a form of anhedonia - an inability to feel pleasure)
I’ve given a lot of thought to this conundrum of news consumption and how to relate to the state of the world, and have brought it up to several of my supervisors (all therapists), my own therapist, and a few spiritual teachers. Below is a summary of the varying approaches / healthy methods of news consumption they suggest. I’d be curious to hear if any resonate for you.
Not consuming the news is self-care. The news will find you one way or the other - through family, colleagues, friends, etc. You don’t need to go out of your way to read or watch the news.
There have been grave injustices since the beginning of time. The best thing you can do is stay present to your own life and what you’re able to contribute.
Set a timer when consuming the news, perhaps for 15 minutes. After consuming the news, journal for another 10 minutes about what you’re feeling, thinking, or experiencing after reading the news. Follow that up with several minutes of meditation or movement.
How you respond to the news is a direct reflection of what is going on inside of you. How do you personally relate or not relate to conflict, oppression, uncertainty, and/or frustration with authorities or leaders not addressing crises as they should? Is there a history of injustice in your own life / in your own family?
Stay off of screens for as much of the day as you reasonably can
Be very present and truthful with yourself about what you can and can’t control
Pray, cast spells, set intentions, and/or create altars for situations in the world that are challenging and complex. Turn to the rituals of your form of a higher power, spirituality or religious belief. To energetically join in on the suffering of others is not actually helpful, but rather, hold an energy of health for those that are suffering.
Listen to the news (rather than watch) - listen to news podcasts or short NPR or BBC clips to get a sense of what is happening in the world
Take time each day to cultivate a sense of safety and security in your body. Our nervous systems are highly aware and activated by everything happening and it’s important to orient ourselves daily into a felt sense of safety.
Engage the present - after learning about anything from the news, scan your space or room to find something that feels safe (an anchor). This could be a plant or animal or an art piece, whatever your nervous system finds grounding and soothing. Now scan the space to see if there is anything immediately threatening. Notice that there is no immediate threat (hopefully) inside of your space or close to you. Re-orient yourself to the anchor and to the present moment in time.
There is so much more to say about this topic, but I’ll leave it at that for now. I’m very curious…
How are your making sense of and relating to all that is happening in the world?
Is it impacting your day-to-day life or your sense of well-being?
What is something you might want to maintain or change in terms of how you relate to current events?