Hard to think that it would contribute to our well being, considering the amount of negativity and unfortunate circumstances that are often broadcasted. A little news is not what does the damage for most, it’s the constant exposure to so much information (these days and often historically devastating information) that can affect our mental health and overall well being. We’re only human and we only have so much mental capacity to absorb information. It’s like watching a car wreck or picturing yourself in that car wreck, once you see it you can never unsee it, so why do we continue to expose ourselves to the biggest car wrecks, day in and day out?

Although we have unlimited access to a convenient screen we hold in our pockets all day and at our bedside at night, we can take control of what we use it for. Your phone doesn’t have to be the one controlling you. Do you ever feel like you just can’t put it down? Getting sucked into the autoplay of content nonstop and the never ending scroll? It’s working then, and unless you really enjoy that situation, you can choose to take the control back. It’s not easy, but it can be done. Bookmark this post for when you’re done here, to start implementing our top 5 tips for taking back control of your device usage and owning your time online. Also make sure to check out this one on how to avoid burnout.

Now why would anyone want to cut themselves off from the news? Think about what the news of current events shares with you. We don’t know what you watch, but after researching for the purpose of this post and watching all popular news shows from every angle of the political spectrum, we had a hard time finding where the uplifting and positive stories ever took precedence over the fear-mongering, negativity, sarcasm and even full-blown discriminatory rhetoric. All of that to say, if you feel you need that in your life and are still reading, maybe you don’t need to since we’re proposing you turn it off for a period of time and see how you feel. Though, we will say that even if you think you reeeally can’t live without that daily dose of primarily negative news, giving yourself a news detox may actually be something you didn’t know you needed.

Here’s the challenge – refrain from watching ANY mainstream news outlet for 30 days. Yep, 30. Chances are you’ll miss a lot of vibe killing information, but at the same time reclaim your wellness and mental state beyond what you knew you could. Sure, some outlets put a funny, sarcastic spin on things which make them easier to digest (late night talk shows, we’re looking at you!) but it’s still information that is overall negative and in general, won’t be detrimental to miss out on for 30 days. If you want to still consume current events/world news but just don’t want to see it from an angle of doom and gloom, check out these positive news outlets that highlight what’s going right in the world. Bet you won’t see most of these stories on the channels that most of us are inundated with on our phone’s daily briefings.

5 news sites that aren’t all doom and gloom.

• https://www.positive.news/

• https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

• https://www.optimistdaily.com/

• https://storycorps.org/

• https://www.reddit.com/r/UpliftingNews/

One of the hardest parts of seeing all of the pain, suffering and devastation in the world is feeling helpless in what to do to make a collective change. Yet many people still continue to torment themselves by consuming it and allowing their helpless feelings to fester. Why not learn about the news and also see solutions oriented stories related to it, or even have an opportunity to help in some way? For that, we recommend the following positive, solutions-oriented sites. 

Here are a couple of other sites that share news stories, and ways to help with what’s not going right. We know there is a lot of that! 

• https://notallnewsisbad.com/

• https://kindling.xyz/

• https://change.org/

• http://www.dailygood.org/

• https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news/

• https://squirrel-news.net/news/

The world is full of tragedy, but it’s also full of hope.

There are people fighting for what they want in the world and making it happen. Do you feel like you’re doing too much? Are you overwhelmed with life? Are you exhausted by everything that seems like it’s never-ending? It only seems like there can’t be peace in this world, but there is peace with hope. There is also power in taking control of what you expose yourself to.

If you find that you’re completely dedicated to being constantly in touch with all current events and don’t want to miss out, we still encourage you to take a break from it. If you can, immediately after watching news updates, balance it out by getting in touch with your physical presence and reality. Go for a walk, sit quietly with yourself, cook a healthy meal, or talk to a friend. Just do something other than staring at a screen for a while to bring yourself back to the reality you’re actually in within that moment. Practice gratitude and other anxiety reduction techniques. If possible, maybe just watch a weekly recap instead of daily news content. 

Consider your own world first…

All of that to say, whether you choose to do a No News November or not, we urge you to consider the fact that what you consume affects you. If you have to consume news for your job or some other obligation that requires it, try to counter that consumption with other news like the ones above. Balancing the negative content with positive content may help offset the potential negative implications that so much tragedy can have on your mind. Your mental health and your physical health are your most important assets. Healthy mind, healthy body, healthy spirit. 

Will you do a news cleanse this month?

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