subject: You Are What You See: Watch Daily News In Reasonable Doses [print this page] Being a "Negative Nancy" is easy to do after watching an hour or two of news channels on TV these days. While our cities have an abundance of positive things to announce, the scales are inevitably tipped out of balance into the direction of unpleasant events. News media can be more commonly found reporting on the local break-ins, abductions, sex scandals and physical abuses than other more positive happenings. While a small percentage of journalists might devote their attention to charitable giving, reunited families and selfless altruistic acts, this type of story is in desperate need of publicity.
The reason I'm trying to point out the obvious is because I believe that it's valuable to take a moment and understand that we have a choice in what information we invite into our mind and soul each day. It's often critical to know some tough-to-hear news, so we can have an informed awareness of the condition of our community, nation and world. However, I encourage you to carefully select the amount of negativity you allow yourself to be exposed to. Why? Because you are what you see (and hear, eat, watch, etc). What goes in, comes out. If you watch gut wrenchingly horrific news story, you will probably begin to live with increased fear. When turning off the tube after a few politician-smearing commercials, you'll probably harbor some resentment and bitterness.
It's clinically proven - our brains are more stirred up by negativity than by positivity. According to psychology studies, "due to the brain's 'negativity bias'; it is simply built with a greater sensitivity to unpleasant news. The bias is so automatic that it can be detected at the earliest stage of the brain's information processing" (http://www.biopsychiatry.com/depression/negbias.html). Insults stay with us for years, while compliments might last only a few days.
The study explains these effects on relationships, "Numerous researchers have found that there is an ideal balance between negativity and positivity in the atmosphere between partners. There seems to be some kind of thermostat operating in healthy marriages that almost automatically regulates the balance between positive and negative Because of the disproportionate weight of the negative {bias}, balance does not mean a 50-50 equilibrium. Researchers have carefully charted the amount of time couples spend fighting vs. interacting positively. And they have found that a very specific ratio exists between the amount of positivity and negativity required to make married life satisfying to both partners. That magic ratio is five to one." You should offer your loved ones a minimum of five supportive comments for every single criticism. Maybe more! Single folks, make sure spend significantly greater amounts of time watching and listening to media that makes you laugh than the media that makes you worry.
Whether you're in a relationship or single, you would benefit from the practice of guarding your heart and mind. What goes in does come out, and to protect your daily perspective and mood from negative stimuli, be careful to balance the amount of negative news you allow yourself to absorb with a healthier - and heavier - amount of positive news. With an "intake" of positivity that outweighs the negativity, you will more likely lean towards a happier and more confident belief system in your own life. Instead of noticing all the difficulties you face in life, you will be more prone to delight in the even the most simple of blessings - like getting a front row parking spot, finding $5 in your jeans pocket or receiving a phone call from a favorite friend. Positive in means positive out!
