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    Instead of the news

    A few years ago I got rid of my TV hookup due to traveling so much. Other than Downton Abbey and Coronation Street and a little bit of news I was surprised how little I missed it! I started spending my time in other ways, like writing, volunteer work, reading, listening to music, going out and about, interacting with people.

    So just to stay in the loop, I got into a comfortably liveable habit of checking the news a couple of times a week on the internet, and inadvertently the odd time on my car radio. Then coronavirus world struck

    I began checking the news once a day (on a couple of selected websites only). Which worked very well for several weeks. Then, for no good reason, some days I was checking it twice.

    It t turns out (like I couldn't see this coming ) it can be a slippery slope! This morning I made the mistake of spending way too long clicking from one news site to another, down the rabbit hole that leads only to more and deeper rabbit holes....

    Ack! Time to save me from myself

    So I came here onto the forum to put this out where I, and others, can see it. Because I need the reminder that my mental health can go down that rabbit hole of bad news after bad news far too quickly. It gets me feeling icky and sad and anxious and low -- and I don't like that one bit.

    Don't get me wrong. I think it's completely natural, in this uncertain and unsettling time, to feel icky and sad and anxious and low. Some of the time. But I don't want to get stuck in those feelings or bring them on unnecessarily. Especially given my history of depression, with anxiety thrown in.

    So I hope I've had my wake up call on the news thing.

    And now, I'm going to pry myself out for a walk on this double-digit-above-zero snow-melting breezy beautiful day. Instead of the news, I can watch last fall's poplar leaves dance in the wind, listen to their rustling sound, and be grateful that I can breathe

    <3 (That's meant to be a heart, to spread a bit of love to whoever has made it through this post!)

    uni

    ~ it's always worth it ~

    #2
    I limit my news watching to once a day in the evening. It takes no effort at all to get dragged down by bad news, even before the pandemic. I understand what it's like to get 'caught up in it'.

    Good for you for going for a walk. It was a beautiful day here too.
    AJ

    Humans punish themselves endlessly
    for not being what they believe they should be.
    -Don Miguel Ruiz-

    Comment


      #3
      Hello Uni. It is certainly easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of news. Good for you breaking the habit. I too can watch(read) too much news if I'm not careful.Take Care. paul m.
      "Alone we can do so little;
      Together we can do so much"
      Helen Keller

      Comment


        #4
        Hi all,

        I too have cut way back on news. Sometimes I find myself questioning whether I've left myself vulnerable by not, at least, checking out the headlines... but I think that overall it's been a good choice for my mental health.

        Good call on getting out to enjoy the beautiful weather!!

        Kaight

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          #5
          Great to hear from you Kaight I went for a great walk again today -- there was a mix of sun and cloud, only a little wind, temperature around 10 above... it felt so good. And I wore shoes, not boots! Bonus
          uni

          ~ it's always worth it ~

          Comment


            #6
            The switch to shoes is always such a pleasure!! I just got my summer tires on my car - another one of Spring's joys!!

            Comment


              #7
              I just filled a whole bunch of bags with leaves. Spring clean up sure beats shovelling snow!
              AJ

              Humans punish themselves endlessly
              for not being what they believe they should be.
              -Don Miguel Ruiz-

              Comment


                #8
                Yep, it's a great time of year to be outside! Not too hot and not too cold. Summer tires and raking leaves, guaranteed signs of spring!

                I walked for an hour today. It was cloudy which was great, because too much sun gives me cold sores. Also people seem to be afraid it will rain and stay in. I only had to do the "who's going to move off the sidewalk to give distance" dance twice
                uni

                ~ it's always worth it ~

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