News Detox (Cleanse)

     We are bombarded with news daily through all of our electronic devices and it always seems to be negative news.  Lately it has been local news detailing facts and opinions of the Ferguson tragedy, the world news on ISIS and many other stories that are anything but uplifting. 

     Now I’m not one to stick my head in the sand to avoid reality but when is it enough.  News coverage goes on all day long and sends alerts to your phone about the latest crisis, even when you are watching your favorite comedy series a banner will appear on the bottom of the screen to alert you of some new disaster or your program will be interrupted describing some eminent danger of the coming thunderstorm.  Sometimes I just want to say, “Leave me alone”.  Truthfully, the news media just fans the flames of any tragedy or disaster which keeps it alive.  They interview hostile people who's only purpose is to stir the pot and make it worse.   It's a way of getting their 15 minutes of fame.  Living your life (work, family, etc.) can be stressful enough without having to deal with the world tragedies constantly.

     Lately I have been feeling a little out of sorts but I exercise and eat pretty well so I am attributing my physical condition to negative news, lets call it “negative news syndrome”.  I don’t know if this is a recognized syndrome but I believe all the negative news is having a bad effect on me right now, so I have decided to do a news cleanse.  Since cleanses are the latest rage it only seems right that I should cleanse my body of all the negative news that I  have recently ingested. 

     In a normal day I will get up read the paper, but I also surf the

Internet looking for more articles.  I’m actually looking for fun or inspiring stories but the negative stories monopolize the sites, just reading the headline can be depressing.  So I feel my only option to get out of this news funk and back to a feel good mode is to turn off the news.  So I have decided go cold turkey on the news for 1 week.  I know I won’t be able to totally avoid it because it’s everywhere but I will not read it, listen to it or talk about it.

     I don’t know how well this will work but I’m looking at it as a news vacation in place.  I think it’s worth a try but I’ll let you know. I found some good news websites which are more enjoyable reading.  Even after my news detox week I plan to stay on a news diet keeping in touch but not over dosing.  "Just Saying…”