Lately, there has been a collective challenge to avoid being embroiled in the media events of all that has been happening in the social, political, economic and military arenas of our great nation. Many recent events have left people with a sense of ominous foreboding, uncertainty, fear, despondency. At the very least, there is mild emotional discomfort and a sense of vague dissonance.
However, there certainly are a lot of other things that are worth focusing on and worth paying attention to. Some suggest that the negative news coverage in general is significantly disproportionate to the actual negativity that may impact one specific individual. These days, when micro events can be quantified and immediately reported to a world waiting to binge on a new serving of news every moment of the day, it's easy to see how one's focus can be disproportionately adjusted to see only the negative events that are happening. It's rather myopic and sad. While there has to be some value in keeping up with real risks that impact individuals and their families, a steady diet of too much news can be as mentally and spiritually unhealthy as a physical binge diet of sugar and cholesterol. Here are some areas that can be attended to as new focuses especially As the much longed-for Thanksgiving and holiday season approaches, let's focus on some areas that can become new sources of focus.
Family and Friends. Have we gotten so involved with life, living and the cycle of things that we are not paying as much attention to our families as we'd like? This is a great time to focus spending quality time with family and friends, perhaps planning new activities and creating new and inventive ways to spend that time.
Finance. A spate of bad news, or a slow economy, is a good time to regroup financially and determine what financial priorities. There's no need to struggle or fret. Instead, simply spend some time in assessing financial plans as they pertain to spending, investing, saving and building for the future. If there is no formal plan, this is a good time to find help creating one.
Short- and Long-Term Goals. The most successful people are the ones who look farthest into the future. Most people are focused on the here-and-now. They are bounced around by daily conditions and do not regard long term disciplines necessary to create a future. Goals involve the family, finances, vacations, work, personal development, spiritual development, education, etc.
Personal Values. Reassess priorities and look at personal values. In nature, winter is a "pulling-back" time when things slow down. It is a time for reflection and reassessment. Evaluate, and become grounded, centered and focused.
Whatever the area, pull away from, and avoid the news media binges. Try watching or listening to the news only once a week. Look for ways to maintain focus on the good things and on the things that are truly important to life, personal values, family and projects. Above all, and especially at this time, focus on being thankful.
Eric Johnson is a regular contributor to the Investor's Value View newsletter. To learn more about this newsletter or to learn how to contact Mr. Johnson, visit http://www.valueview.net
Meeting Women, Pick Up Girls The how and where of meeting women. Find out the best places to pick up girls and how to go about approaching them.
Why Treadmills? Treadmills have experienced substantial growth over the years. They are designed to enhance the most popular form of exercising - running and walking. Treadmill...
Hobby Ideas There are as many hobbies as there are ideas. A hobby can be any leisure activity you pursue outside of your work or career. Hobbies can range from raising fi...
Hair Loss Myths Debunked! Too much gel? Stop wearing hats? Blame your mom? Let's get to the bottom of these hair loss myths!
Dealing With Your Spouses Sexual Past More than half of those who marry today bring sexual histories into their marriages, and it seems to me that wringing our hands over the issue isn't going to he...
Your Site is all Direct Marketing Writing for the Web is very different from writing for other media, in many ways. However, don't let that blind you to some core similarities between writing ec...
A Little Secret That Produces BIG Results What if I told you that with each passing day, you are losing dozens of subscribers to your newsletter? As you read this, you are probably losing potential cust...
Air Conditioners and Clean Air Air conditioners are lifesavers on a warm summer afternoon, but there's more to air conditioners that meets the eye! A good air conditioning unit can help filte...
Seller Financing Although any loan used for buying real estate is strictly called a purchase money mortgage, the term is often employed for seller financing, those transactions ...
404 Error - The Page Cannot be Found A "404 Error" happens when the web server you are on cannot find the page that you requested. This type of error is quite common and is seen all over the place.
Love of Horses I, like so many others, discovered the beauty and intelligence and strong connection you can have with horses. They have their own personalities like we do, an...
Have a Detailed Exercise Plan Before Training Don't just wander into the gym without a clue what exercises to do. Make sure you have a detailed plan of action to get the most out of your workouts.
Print this page