Return on Life: Don't let the news cycle be a source of stress!

I enjoy being able to access current news at any point in time I'm ready for it. Whether we turn on the television, read the paper, or check online, within a few minutes we can feel as though we're caught up at least on the big news of the moment. In fact, it's easy to let the glut of news overwhelm us, which is one reason my husband and I are selective about when we turn the television news on. But, in general, information and knowledge is good.

However, one of the unfortunate side effects is that in their quest for constantly new, exciting developments in the hot story, the live news media cycle doesn't allow for any introspection. We are pushed immediately on to the next stage of the story before we can digest, mentally and emotionally, the current stage. This was evident over the past week as we watched the Democratic primary events unfold. We hadn't even gotten past Tuesday night's confirmation that Obama had clinched the nomination before there was angst about party healing and who the vice presidential pick would be. Obviously, those are the next steps in the process and we would expect them to be discussed as such, but the incessant attention, worry, and fretting, for instance, about whether Clinton supporters will transfer their support to Obama, accompanied by polls regarding those opinions, fosters the feeling that everything is falling apart.

What if we tried just stating how everyone feels right now, without the worrisome projection that none of those feelings will change over the next five months. Life is a process and I humbly suggest that over time, some of those strong feelings will moderate. It is not helpful to project this level of concern that they won't. It helps create a kind of hysteria and disrespect for the ability of human beings to adapt. So, even if you're watching the news, avoid getting drawn into the hype. Human beings are amazingly resilient. If we would take more time to allow others to process their thoughts and feelings, our journey could be much more pleasant--less stress!