Practicing a happy life
I’ve always been a news junkie and for years, I watched CNN and other news stations as much as possible. I would sit watching and listening to reporters’ accounts of the terrible things that had happened, all the while feeling helpless.
Some people can watch the news and just shrug off the bad stuff. For me, it sticks. It’s like I’m gaining weight, only the pounds are in negative energy. Let’s face it; it’s hard to find positive energy in today’s news!
However, I’ve also been working on learning to be happy and practicing as much as I can. I knew if I was going to live a happier life, I had to make some good choices.
About happiness
I made the decision to stop watching and reading the news. I cancelled my newspaper and no longer watch CNN or any other TV news program. For me, this was the right choice. I’ve noticed that I’ve been calmer and to be honest, much happier. I figure if anything major happens, I’ll read about it on Twitter!
Then again, when you eliminate ALL news, you don’t hear about the good things that happen. Like when Bhutan decided to adopt the gross national happiness (GNH) policy as an alternative to the gross national product (GNP).
I stumbled across this article on “Recalculating Happiness” by accident when I picked up an international newspaper in Switzerland… I know I cheated, but I needed a hit of news!
According to this article, the GNH means that the Bhutan government is judged not by the economic and monetary benefits it offers, but by the happiness and well-being it produces. In other words, the government seeks to create conditions that focus on making the Bhutanese people happier in their lives. Now, this is news I like to hear!
After reading this article, I realized I might be making a mistake by assuming there were no sources of happy news. I started to do some online research. It only took a couple of clicks before I found my new source of news!
Happy news
It’s appropriately called, Happy News. The stories, columns, videos, and just about everything on this site focuses on positive news events. Believe it or not, they even have a category for Business and Money, where most of us wouldn’t expect to find any happy news; but it’s there.
I have read many of the stories on this site and guess what? I feel happier after reading them. The categories mirror those used in most newspapers. They include international and national news, business and money, health, science and technology, arts and entertainment, sports, heroes, editorials and of course, the environment.
I’ve explored almost all of them, and can honestly tell you they are interesting, well written, and very positive stories about things that have happened in this world of ours. Good things really do happen! When you experience the stories in abundance the positive energy is magnified. Since I’ve been reading the “happy news”, I haven’t gained back any of those negative energy pounds :~)
I am learning to live happy by making good choices in my life; choices that increase my opportunities to feel happy and content. Happy News works for me. I can read the news every day with a smile on my face. Check it out. I guarantee you’ll find at least one story that will bring a smile to your face!
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What do you do to increase your own happiness?
How do you handle negative news stories on TV or in the newspaper?
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
One of my pet peeves right now is the traditional media’s reporting on the economy. When I would watch the news, I would actually experience mild panic attacks over the state of the economy. Then, just the other day, I read on the Fortune Magazine website that economists have predicted that 2009′s GDP adjusted for inflation – is expected to show at least 4% GROWTH!!
GROWTH?!?! I thought we were in a recession (officially defined as two quarters of NEGATIVE GDP growth) ?!?!? At least, that’s what the media has been “reporting”!
Prior to learning this – I kind of felt “guilty” if I didn’t try to stay “informed”. Not any more. I have a feeling my happiness quotient will increase exponentially if I follow your lead and start IGNORING the national news media.
I learned that Micheal Jackson died via Facebook HOURS before it was reported via the national news. If that isn’t proof I can know what’s important thanks to the web -I don’t know what is!
.-= Kathy | Virtual Impax´s last blog ..What to do when Social Media creates a Shit Storm =-.
It’s like what Johnny Cash sang in Man in Black about trying to carry off a little darkness on his back… I admire the man and his fine body of work, but I don’t think I could stand having that much darkness on my back! I can surely manufacture enough of my own without adding the world’s to it! This is why I have not read newspapers or watched television news for a long, long time.
However, Happy News is a wonderful recommendation. I have added this to my favourites and will be making it a regular haunting ground (whoops, there I go with the negative connotations again!). It seems so obvious to me now, but I never once thought about the possibility of site devoted to “happy” news. Bravo for pointing it out, Sara. Love the accompanying photo by the way!
As for your question, I increase my own happiness in a number of ways… I might sit down and read, or I might play a game, but I usually like to hook up with my wife or a friend and just shoot the breeze. They’re the things that keep me sane – and young – in a cynical world.
.-= Tony Single´s last blog ..Soulmates in Step =-.
I stopped watching the news years ago…woo hoo! I do love the site happynews.com and go there from time to time. I really found that if there is something that critical I will hear about it one way or another. Funny thing…I was a journalism major in college!!! Everything we watch is based on ratings…and murders, arson, and disasters get the best ratings!
BTW…I found about MJ’s death by all the Facebook updates. See, who needs CNN these days!
.-= Caroline´s last blog ..Bye bye birdie… =-.
@ Kathy — I know what you mean. It’s not like we will not stay informed. As you talked about in your latest post, social media makes it really hard not to hear about things:~)
@ Tony — Okay, I love your comment, especially the part about “haunting” LOL…Also, thanks about the photo. Stock photos have lots about negative news, but not many about positive so I had to create my own. It’s a bit homemade, but it’ll do!
By the way, I love your last post as well as Cassy’s. I wanted to leave a comment, but your site isn’t liking me right now. When I try to comment, I get the confirmation letters, but no box to put them in. Have I been banned:~)
@ Caroline — It’s nice to know that others feel the same as me. We can start our own club, NO BAD NEWS IS GOOD NEWS, or NBNGN for short:~)
I am the same way. I cancelled the newspaper and rarely turn on the radio anymore. I did read Obama’s speech though and enjoyed that. The “news of the weird” though is funny to read once a week!
It is hard to stay in our heart-space with all this mind stuff distracting us.
Thanks for sharing this newspaper though!
.-= Cynthia Christianson´s last blog ..Hurry Up and Relax! =-.
@ Cynthia — I’ll have to check out “news of the weird”…I’d probably like it! I like what you said about staying in the heart-space…it is so true:~)
I must say, I am the same way, too. Haven’t seen a full news broadcast in 15 years. Loved to read the newspaper, but found out if I want the news I can go and read half a dozen papers online. I think this post falls along the lines of Caroline’s disconnecting from Twitter, etc. When your day becomes uncomplicated by electronic and internet pastimes, you find the true reason for Life.
.-= Ken´s last blog ..Pole Stance 3 =-.
@ Ken — WOW…you’ve got me beat by many years…15 years of no news broadcasts. I agree with about Caroline’s post on disconnecting from Twitter. Sometimes we have to step away from the Internet and the computer so we can reconnect with the things around us that generate their energy without being plugged in:~)
Not filling yourself with the bad news that the media is built upon is an excellent way to change your environment which will have a very positive affect on your perspective and general well being. Removing ourselves from toxic elements in our environment is extremely important to affect the change that you desire.
.-= Mark´s last blog ..The Cookie Thief =-.
@ Mark — You are so right. It has helped me to be more positive. Thanks for the comment:~)
I gave up the news for LENT this year and it has been wonderful..I did do research for several large news agencies for the elections to get paid as I also lost my paid job last year….I did lots of foot work things, and amazingly enough off the footwork news is the more interesting story.
Thanks for this Good News link – I will go check it out…actually this week I am reviewing a book that helps on focus good news into their lives about the economy – taking back our own communities.
It is not a scary book at all and is connect to YES! Magazine and the positive futures Network – they only share the positive stories too.
.-= Patricia´s last blog ..Part III: Agenda for a Real-Wealth Economy =-.
I think I’m happiest when my family is around me, or even when I take a walk through the neighborhood and let my thoughts just tumble around in my head. I can also take news vacations, but then I tend to turn on a 24-hour station adn catch up.
I like the idea of your blog… happy!
.-= Roban´s last blog ..Being a Friend =-.
I am addicted to the news sites too, but every now and the you find a hidden gem in there. They usually hide it under all the mayhem, but I love CNN’s Heroes.
The hardest news to watch for me is stories about animal abuse. I guess I have more sympathy because they have no choice, where humans do it to ourselves. I think I would like to check out the Happy News. Thanks for sharing
.-= Shannanigans´s last blog ..Had to Share =-.
@ Shannanigans — I haven’t watched CNN in so long, I didn’t even realize they had the Heroes segment…that’s good to know. Maybe our TV news will realize the value of including more positive stories. I totally agree with you about animal abuse…I can’t watch the Humane Society commercial as it makes me cry. Do check out Happy News.com…it’s worth it:~)
“It’s like I’m gaining weight, only the pounds are in negative energy.” – love that and it’s so true.
I haven’t watched the news in years. Anything really important (world war, etc.), I’ll hear about regardless of reading or watching about it on television. I like our local paper. Covers the the things that really impact my life and has more good news than bad. It’s unfortunate that the mainstream media has to put such a negative spin on everything and increase the negativity by hammering the same points over and over until you feel bruised and battered by it. It definitely creates a false impression of the real state of the world. For me “no news is good news” really applies.
.-= Talon´s last blog ..at the sculpture garden… =-.
@ Talon — I’m amazed at how many of the people who left comments do not watch TV news! It is sad that negative news has a better market than positive news. It makes it so easy to believe that we have the world is going to hell in a hand basket! I agree about “no news is good news” :~)
Hi Sara — I don’t read the news either — I figure if there’s something that it’s really essential for me to know, someone around me will be talking about it, which so far has been true. It’s also a great exercise for me to experience saying “I don’t know” when someone says “oh, how’s Governor Schwarzenegger’s policies doing.” I’m not that interested in discussing politics with people anyway so this seems like the best route to go.
@ Chris — I’ve had some interesting discussions with people who can’t believe I don’t follow politics on a regular basis. Before elections, I do read about the candidates, but I don’t listen to debates. I’d rather get my facts without all the “talking heads.” I had my fill when I used to legislative work on behalf of a child advocacy organization…it really is true what they say about the making of laws and sausage…it really is better not to see either made:~)
Hi Sara. I was “happy” to learn about Happy News. I hardly watch the news anymore and find I am calmer as a result. Most of what I hear is by accident if I’m watching a favourite show and during a commercial break they sneak in a news update.
That happened tonight and I happened to hear of forest fires in Kelowna, just west of Vancouver. I have a friend who lives there and I was able to connect with her to offer her some much-needed support. Many homes have been evacuated, but so far they are only on evacuation alert. Thankfully they are okay. It is challenging to watch the news and not get caught up in it.
To make me laugh, I watch Two and a Half Men almost every night while eating dinner. A laugh-a-minute that show is.
.-= Davina´s last blog ..Roaming with the Metaphor =-.
I love this post and the pic (is that you behind the newspaper?) And it is SO good to know there is a positive news source! Yesterday in yoga class, my teacher said that she’s decided that smiling is part of one of our poses (tree pose) – I thought of that when I saw your picture – it certainly did change the pose (and lightened up our attitudes in class too!)
.-= Carol´s last blog ..How To Handle Stressful Events Without Overeating =-.
Sara, like you, I am opting to live a happy and joyful life so I stopped watching the news a while ago as it always seemed so negative and depressing. Thanks so much for the Happy News link…I’ll be sure to check it out ~
.-= Serena´s last blog ..mantra monday and photo-a-week =-.
@ Serena — When I wrote this post, I didn’t expect to find so many other people who made the same choice. It was affirming to me. Thanks for sharing:~)
I’m with you-I stopped watching the news a LONG time ago because I am definitely not one of those people that can shrug it off-and now, thanks to you, I have a positive news source to turn to!!
on another front-the geography of bliss, a book by eric weiner talks about bhutan, among other places, as he travels to some of the ‘happiest’ countries to find out why they are happy. It’s a fun, entertaining, thought provoking read.
thanks for stopping by my blog!
.-= brandi´s last blog ..mission monday:: 90 seconds =-.