You just won’t find it anywhere in the media. Fear sells. The media’s job is to strike fear in our hearts because fear is addictive, like a drug. It stimulates the amygdala (the lizard brain) and gives us a “fight or flight” stress rush, making us feel alive! So we keep coming back for more.
I’ve been guilty of it as much as anyone, being addicted to the bad news that is.
All this “bad” news (economic, political, weather-related, medical, and social) also leaves us drained, demoralized, stressed out and full of angst.
It’s important to remember “in times like these”, there have ALWAYS been times like these, only much worse! As a matter of fact, this is an exciting time to be alive.
What am I talking about? The economy is changing for good. It’s a long story but the unraveling we’re witnessing of the decades-old “American dream” is actually a good thing in some ways.
Think about it. If the “American dream” is obesity, depression, huge consumer and mortgage debt, pollution, industrial-era brainwashing schools, and long commutes, no thanks I’ll pass and so will millions of others just like me who are starting to forge a new way of life.
Some examples:
- many historic downtowns are being restored, fostering a greater sense of community and helping to drive small business growth: Scottsboro, Al (my hometown) and Troy, Al are two examples
- literally hundreds of new drugs are on the horizon for everything from cancer to cholesterol to Alzheimer’s
- poverty worldwide is decreasing rapidly
- gas mileage is getting better in new vehicles
- websites like couchsurfing.com, airbnb.com, uber, and countless others are making travel and other services more affordable
- the barter / sharing economy is growing
- locally grown and organic farming is becoming more popular
- pollution is decreasing in the US
- technology has made opening a small business a possibility for millions of people who otherwise would have had to work for someone else
- violent crime is decreasing overall
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of things we should concerned about. Life is not perfect, but it never will be. Life is conflict. Without conflict and stress, we wouldn’t be alive.
Try this exercise: think about 3 things you’re grateful for every day and say them out loud in the morning.
There’s plenty of good news. You just have to look for it. Share your good news with me.
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Photo credit: https://stocksnap.io/author/37494
