It never ends. The scrolling. The sighs. The fact-checking. The anxiety and the anger. The hope and the grief. It is a never-ending cycle of uncertainty. It is horribly exhausting and excruciatingly mind numbing. How can we find balance and peace when it feels like we’re stuck in polarity and chaos?
The constant, 24/7 revolving door of headlines will never stop. They don’t care about your sanity, or your hopes, or your dreams; they only care about the next big thing. Though it might seem next to impossible at times, it is crucial that we practice mindful media consumption and work to find balance in the perpetual onslaught of the news cycle. Â
I personally struggled with this for a while, and finding ways to achieve balance seemed unattainable. I often questioned if I even deserved to seek balance and peace from the chaos. Shouldn’t I be informed? Isn’t it my duty to be up to date? How can I seek justice if I’m unaware of where justice needs seeking? It all becomes too much. The truth is, this isn’t solely our burden to bear. The bombardment of headlines parallels that of time, they stop for no one and have no mercy. It is our job to find the time and to take a break.Â
There are many ways that we can be mindful about our media consumption. The first step I took was setting time limits on my social media apps and attempting to change my algorithm. We know those algorithms well, but they know you better. One minute you like a video about a certain topic, the next minute those are the only videos showing up on your page. It makes the “diving into the rabbit hole” 10 times harder to get out of. I knew that the deep dives were becoming toxic for me, and so I started to become overly conscious of where and what I was reacting to online. There’s nothing wrong with getting the occasional politically-charged post here and there, but make sure you’re interacting with the positive videos too!Â
The next step I took was breaking it down. Life moves fast and the media moves faster. It is completely understandable to be passionate about many different things; life is not black and white and certainly not linear. However, when we are spread too thin, it becomes increasingly more difficult to put intentional thought and energy into the things we care most about. So, I made a list. I asked myself: what are the topics I am most passionate about? What would I like to learn more about? It can be hard to narrow it down, but it also doesn’t have to be an exact science; meet yourself with grace! Once I had my list, I chose a few to get more involved in. I can’t give my all to everything all at once, but I can give my energy to a few things passionately.Â
Getting involved is a beautiful thing because it can take whatever shape feels right for you. Maybe that means attending rallies and joining clubs, or getting active in local politics by calling your state representative. Perhaps you start small, giving back to your community through volunteering or attending a town meeting or two. Maybe it’s as simple as reading books to deepen your understanding of the issues you’re passionate about. However you choose to engage — big or small — it all matters, and it all counts. Just remember to protect your peace, stay mindful, and find a balance that works for you. It’s not just okay to slow down and refocus — it’s essential.