A Wise Approach to Taking in the News

Mindfulness, Self Development By Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D.

In this day and age global news is everywhere. We get it from traditional news stations, social media, or just alerts from friends, family and colleagues.

The news always seems to come in the form of headlines that are meant to stimulate our nervous systems. This is so our eyes will stare more often and longer at the screen and they can charge more money for their ads. It’s pure economics.

We also have become accustomed to reading news in smaller bytes which means we usually jump from the headlines into a judgment or opinion and begin sharing it with other people prior to really investigating the story.

Shoshanna Goldstein, who has assisted me at Kripalu during my Uncovering Happiness Retreatsand her husband John Tedesco, reminded me recently of a very important practice when it comes to a mindful (and necessary) way to engage news that I think would not only serve us individually in keeping our nervous systems balanced, but could help our culture as a whole.

Here it is:

As you read the news in the coming days, especially in politics, in whatever medium it comes in, notice if there is a negative or positive reaction. Whatever the reaction, ask yourself if you really know the story behind the headline. Before sharing it anywhere with alarm or excitement, make sure you understand the ins and outs of the story – otherwise don’t share it.

Why?

The global political climate right now is very sensitive and all we need is a little spark to get our nervous systems activated.

Be mindful of the sparks you are throwing out there because intended or not, you could start or contribute to a contagious fire.

If you know the ins and outs of what’s behind the headlines and want your voice to be heard, by all means, share your passion.

Try this practice out today in relationship with the news and see what you notice.

Warmly,

Elisha

Creator of A Course in Mindful Living

About the Author

Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. Dr. Goldstein is the co-founder of The Center for Mindful Living in Los Angeles and has published extensively and is author of numerous articles, chapters, and blogs. These include Uncovering Happiness: Overcoming Depression with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion, the bestselling book The Now Effect: How This Moment Can Change the Rest of Your Life, Mindfulness Meditations for the Anxious Traveler and co-author of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook and MBSR Everyday: Daily Practices from the Heart of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. He has also created several mindfulness-based programs including the Mindfulness at Work program for eMindful.com recognized by the National Business Group on Health for its success in stress management, Basics in Mindfulness Meditation: A 28 Day Program and co-developed CALM – Connecting Adolescents to Learning Mindfulness with his wife Stefanie Goldstein, PhD. Dr. Goldstein’s unique ability to make complex concepts simple has led him to be invited to speak nationally and internationally with mental health professionals, educators, business leaders and lay audiences. Learn more about Dr. Goldstein here: www.elishagoldstein.com

Tags: healthy mind, mindfulness, self development, stress, stress management