Being conscious of negativity

[rayinpenn]

I must admit to having a touch of guilt having been so negative of late. The problem is the virus news is bad, everywhere and almost impossible to ignore. The media doesn’t help because for them ‘blood sells’ (negative news) I’ve made a conscious effort to limit my intake. It helps.

I’ve decided to remind myself of the good things happening in my life.
1. My family is presently all healthy and none of my friends or friends family seem to have it
2. I have a full belly and am warm and comfy. Many Americans take that for granted I don’t.
3. ‘Cool hand’, my son brought home 3 As and a B.
4. My daughter just finished a nearly flawless masters in computer science.
5. I’ve stuck to my careful eating and exercise plan I have lost a significant amount of weight. In doing so I wore out a pair of sneakers. I am swimming in my smaller jeans. When I last stepped on the scale I dropped below a target of mine and am near a decades low. It’s all good
6. People are returning to work-virus or not in my humble opinion there is no alternative. The anger that readily flairs up in social media is a reminder people are desperate and need to work.
7. Lots of very gifted people are working on a vaccine - they will beat this thing.
8. Although we are experiencing a ‘Blackberry Winter’ these last few days - summer weather is around the corner. I am a shorts man. I am going to clean the back deck and take out the cushions.
9. We’ve adopted to this distancing thing - and are limiting our exposure.

I don’t take for granted we are very fortunate there are too many people out there suffering.

 

[pb4uski]

... I don’t take for granted we are very fortunate there are too many people out there suffering.

+1 While I understand the frustration of people who are desparate and need to work, I think their methods and tactics are misguided and in some cases hurt their cause. Bringing weapons to a rally for the cause at the statehouse.... really? Are you nuts?

DS, who LBYMs and is a prodigious saver despite a relatively low income, wondered last night if this might be a wake up call to those who live from paycheck-to-paycheck to save... I highly doubt it but I hope I am wrong.

 

[HadEnuff]

In addition to the steady diet of corona virus news, and the political sniping,the weather in the Northeast ( I live in Upstate NY) since early April, has not helped my disposition at all.

A few sunny days above 40F would help my attitude immensely.

 

[audreyh1]

That’s a great list. I’ve been avoiding any broadcast/cable TV although I read quite a few articles daily, so I still get a big dose, but more self-selected. Mostly medical/public health aspects.

But most of my day is focused on my own life now and I feel very fortunate and have lots of enjoyable things to do every day.

I have two siblings who can’t work - probably for a long time - due to being in careers that involve a lot of travel and exposure to crowds of people.

 

[Dawg52]

In addition to the steady diet of corona virus news, and the political sniping,the weather in the Northeast ( I live in Upstate NY) since early April, has not helped my disposition at all.


.

I turned on the local news this morning and corona news was the lead story once again. I get it....it's the big news these days but I'm switching channels to get away from it. I'm beaten down from covid covid covid. No mas!

 

[Golden sunsets]

I love your attitude Ray. Count your blessings!

 

[rayinpenn]

+1 While I understand the frustration of people who are desparate and need to work, I think their methods and tactics are misguided and in some cases hurt their cause. Bringing weapons to a rally for the cause at the statehouse.... really? Are you nuts?

Poor souls, Perhaps just overwrought and misguided.

DS, who LBYMs and is a prodigious saver despite a relatively low income, wondered last night if this might be a wake up call to those who live from paycheck-to-paycheck to save... I highly doubt it but I hope I am wrong.

Some, No many will learn fear is a powerful teacher.

the weather in the Northeast ( I live in Upstate NY) since early April, has not helped my disposition at all.

A few sunny days above 40F would help my attitude immensely.

Me too...I long to sit in my driveway and read in the summer sun.

I'm beaten down from covid covid covid. No mas!

No mas indeed.. yep beaten down is a apt description.

That’s a great list...
But most of my day is focused on my own life now and I feel very fortunate and have lots of enjoyable things to do every day.

Making the best of it...good for you!

 

[FIREd]

Making lists of all the good things in my life is how I got over my divorce and how I am getting over this Covid nightmare. It allows to take a step back and keep a positive outlook.

 

[Helen]

I've been getting up early to beat the heat in the Palm Springs area and playing tennis. We typically swim in the afternoon, but it's actually been to hot to want to be outside (110 a few days last week.) Fortunately it will be cooling down.

I think the key is to minimize the news and use of the internet.

I'm also reminding myself that progress is being made and maybe I can avoid catching this until they know more about it.

At some point, I will be back in the PNW and the trails for hiking and backpacking will be open again. This shutdown will not last forever.

I have been using various video chat software and calling people I haven't talk to in a long time. That is one big plus of this pandemic.

 

[rayinpenn]

Making lists of all the good things in my life is how I got over my divorce and how I am getting over this Covid nightmare. It allows to take a step back and keep a positive outlook.

There is no doubt there is something to reflecting on positive things.

 

[donheff]

+1 Ray. I don't blame anyone who is still working, and especially raising kids, who is feeling beaten down by this mess. It's pretty easy sitting on a pension and portfolio, knowing I don't have to earn a living. I would be a wreck if I had to worry that my entire business sector could go down the tubes and my kids might not be able to return to school in September.


Keep up the positivism.

 

[rayinpenn]

+ It's pretty easy sitting on a pension and portfolio, knowing I don't have to earn a living. I would be a wreck if I had to worry that my entire business sector could go down the tubes and my kids might not be able to return to school in September.

Spot on! I have empathy for the many...

 

[CaptTom]

I have friends and family who read/watch too much news, and others who watch/listen to only the "screaming heads" who are sowing fear and malcontent on one side. Being an election year doesn't help. I try to stay on top of issues without obsessing over them.

It's a fine line to walk, especially with children. My position is that this is a new experience for everyone, nobody really knows the best way to proceed, and everyone is trying to do the best they can.

There are positive role models everywhere. If you look hard enough, and shut out the few but sensational exceptions the news is always pushing, you'll find them.

 

[Midpack]

A good reminder, thanks OP.

It’s easy to get a little down with [-]some[/-] many favorite activities off the table, less socializing and little news other than SARS-CoV-2. And it doesn’t help that we’re learning about SARS-CoV-2 VERY slowly, steps forward and backward, a lot yet to learn. I need some alone time, but there’s just been too much lately for too long now. First couple weeks was fine, but not any more, it gets harder and harder.

Our state began slow reopening Sat, hopefully that will perk us all up.

Another plus, it’s just harder to spend money in lockdown. We were well under budget in Mar and especially Apr.

 

[rayinpenn]

My position is that this is a new experience for everyone, nobody really knows the best way to proceed, and everyone is trying to do the best they can.
.

Unprecedented for sure -thought the thought of that disturbs many...

 

[steelyman]

Good thread topic!

I realized that I’d collected far too many podcasts that are news/opinion-oriented. Naturally, they are dominated by you-know-what (that’s a multiple choice comment). TV news? “C’mon, man!”.

Missing was more light-hearted/comedy things. Finding a few over the past week has brightened things a bit. A relief break. Examples: they replayed an interview with Steve Martin on Fresh Air the other day; that made me smile over breakfast. I also subscribed to Britbox this weekend and jumped on an old favorite: “Fawlty Towers”. I can’t imagine what Basil Fawlty would do these days. [emoji3]

 

[rayinpenn]

Missing was more light-hearted/comedy things. Finding a few over the past week has brightened things a bit. A relief break. Examples: they replayed an interview with Steve Martin on Fresh Air the other day; that made me smile over breakfast. I also subscribed to Britbox this weekend and jumped on an old favorite: “Fawlty Towers”. I can’t imagine what Basil Fawlty would do these days. [emoji3]

I pick and choose podcasts at the episode level now. I avoid all that V stuff. I recommend the moth - story telling on lots of topics..

 

[rayinpenn]

A good reminder, thanks OP......

Another plus, it’s just harder to spend money in lockdown. We were well under budget in Mar and especially Apr.

You a quite welcome. Funny zero gasoline expense too.

 

[jollystomper]

As a minority and child of immigrants, being aware of, and dealing with, negativity was a was of life growing up . But my parents remained optimistic and never let their kids fall into "woe is me" territory, regardless of the circumstances. It was always "count your blessings and get on with life". In truth, I have experienced worse times than these.

 

[rayinpenn]

"count your blessings and get on with life".

I think that is exactly what we are doing... I’m my case perhaps a bit of a celebration of good fortune..

 

[candrew]

We remind ourselves daily about all that we have to be grateful for. Everyone in our orbit are safely employed and healthy.

 

[Rianne]

+1 While I understand the frustration of people who are desparate and need to work, I think their methods and tactics are misguided and in some cases hurt their cause. Bringing weapons to a rally for the cause at the statehouse.... really? Are you nuts?

DS, who LBYMs and is a prodigious saver despite a relatively low income, wondered last night if this might be a wake up call to those who live from paycheck-to-paycheck to save... I highly doubt it but I hope I am wrong.

Said family members have all their videos and pictures from extravagant vacations (LBYM, not). They have their new furniture to sit in and DB has his new house (new construction) with a mortgage to self isolate. They can also frequent the high end restaurants for carry out. Avoiding negativity at all costs, I actually appreciate the title "cheap" which they gave us many times. BTW, they are still working...sort of.


Edit: I had to edit this. We took many lovely vacations and ate out a lot. We tried to express saving and somewhat frugal living to said family. I hope I didn't offend anyone who enjoys spending...the difference is you can afford to spend.

 

[audreyh1]

I have friends and family who read/watch too much news, and others who watch/listen to only the "screaming heads" who are sowing fear and malcontent on one side. Being an election year doesn't help. I try to stay on top of issues without obsessing over them.

It's a fine line to walk, especially with children. My position is that this is a new experience for everyone, nobody really knows the best way to proceed, and everyone is trying to do the best they can.

There are positive role models everywhere. If you look hard enough, and shut out the few but sensational exceptions the news is always pushing, you'll find them.

Well said. It can be frustrating for many to deal with so much uncertainty, but the fact is there are a lot of unknowns now, and no one really knows how this is all going to play out. So we just have to do the best we can in the present and accept that there is much we don’t know.

 

[Amethyst]

I could be mistaken, but I think these kinds of people are in the minority.

Sometimes, civil disobedience is the final, desperate act of a frustrated, mistreated group of people. They know they're only hurting themselves, but they're so fed up they don't even care.

OTOH, in this case it's some bored people, incapable of sitting still and enduring what everybody knows can't be cured, who get their jollies by collecting in a group to make noise and raise heck. If they can run around with weapons, that just adds to their fun.

They are the types who prompted the Roman Emperors to distribute panem et circenses so they wouldn't attack the palaces of the rich.

+1 While I understand the frustration of people who are desparate and need to work, I think their methods and tactics are misguided and in some cases hurt their cause. Bringing weapons to a rally for the cause at the statehouse.... really? Are you nuts?

 

[BoodaGazelle]

Although by nature I am more on the worry side, I have my own mantra I try to keep in mind: PMA.... Positive Mental Attitude.