I don't know if I can do it anymore--read the news, that is.
Like many of you probably do, every day I hesitatingly click on my Yahoo News and wince at the murders, the rapes, the politics, the animal abuse. Two weeks ago, I made the mistake of clicking on an article detailing the court case of a man accused of killing puppies. (See? It hurts to even read it.)
Problematically, though, I am somewhat empathic and have trouble not feeling the pain of others. For the rest of the day, all I could think about were those little dogs. The pictures were burned into my brain, and I was internally upset. I began to think--hard--about how much my consumption affects my well-being. Between the internet, the TV constantly humming in the background, and the mindless Facebook scrolling (guilty as charged), I realized there was too much negativity. I was starting to suspect that I could be feeling happier, and more positive, on a day-to-day basis, if I could just be more mindful of my media choices.
So I set out on a five-day quest to change my habits and use the internet for conscious self-improvement.
Day 1: I used Facebook strictly to promote my business. I have long struggled with "to deactivate or not to deactivate" with regard my Facebook page. I've done it before, temporarily, but business pages have to be tied to personal pages. Since I have a Facebook page for my tutoring business, deactivating feels like a non-option. So, I eliminated mindless scrolling for one whole day (tough, I know), using Facebook only for the important aspect: promoting the business. In researching, I realized that Facebook actually provides some good information on how to use the platform professionally. In one day's time, I learned how to set up an ad. I actually gained some new 'likes' right away.
Day 2: I brushed up on my math skills. As a tutor who focuses primarily on writing and study skills, I am able to provide some light math support, but not much. I decided to check out Khan Academy to see what it was all about. Within minutes, I was able to diagnose my mathematical deficiencies and begin remedial online tutorials in precalculus all the way up to linear calculus. Such valuable, free resources have endless possibilities. Day 2 really helped me to being to conquer my own weaknesses and improve my depth of knowledge as an educator--all through the internet.
Day 3:I used Google to learn more about my husband's career. At the dinner table, my husband and I usually discuss the day over a meal. This is often done at approximately 7:30pm when both of us are entirely fried. He usually will ask me: "How was tutoring?" Then, I will usually ask him: "How was work?" You see, my husband works in construction, and admittedly, I don't always know what he is talking about. For example, his company is currently building a large-scale dormitory building, so he often talks about the various subcontractors. I decided that I wanted to learn, most specifically, about framing and steel building, two aspects that, when discussed, always prompt me to just nod my head and "uh huh!" A quick search brought me some great knowledge for free. Lessons learned? Framing has nothing to do with picture frames. Oh, and in the steel aspect of building, not all walls are named equally. Finally, learning outside one's comfort zone can be quite rewarding.
Day 4: I got my act together with the 2016 presidential election. Unless you are actively seeking correct information, it is easy for any of us to be swayed by half-truths and outright lies. Tired of the extensive drama of this election, I took some time to really become informed on the past histories of our main presidential candidates. FactCheck.org proved to be a great resource. After all, I recommend it to my students when they are completing their research papers; why not utilize it for personal, day-to-day questions from an American voter? Quite honestly, I was surprised by a lot of what I read about the candidates on both sides. Not that it's news, but CNN and Fox don't exactly provide voters with an unbiased view of these people. Finding unbiased fact-checking proved critical for my Super Tuesday ballot.
Day 5: I read the news from only Huffington Post's Good News. I must say, this last day finished this quest with a bang. Instead of reading about the aforementioned rapes, murders, etc., this positive news outlet provided me with a rare glimpse into the humanity that is left in the world. It's amazing, I realized, how our outlook on the world--on fellow humans in general-- is shaped by what we read and what we see. When you read about people opening their backyard to homeless people, or perhaps a good samaritan rescuing a dog from a storm drain, you are able to face the day with a subconscious feeling of, "people, in general, are good."
You know, at the end of this all, I felt really...open. Enlightened, if you will. I learned some new things, which is great. However, I also realized that mindfulness is possibly the most important trait. If we are mindful of our actions, be they intentional or unintentional, we can continually improve ourselves. After all, the best parts of life are not necessarily the easiest. Scrolling through Facebook is easy, but certainly doesn't enrich us. Seeking out knowledge isn't quite as easy, but we become better if we remain mindful, lifelong learners.