"I realized that I was wasting my life on negative events, and I know I deserve better than that."
How I did it: I have noticed that writing things down here at 43 Things make it more real, more focused in my mind. And when I started reading the news on the internet (I gave up TV some time back), I started really paying attention to it, how much was scandals, and bad news that well, was bad, but really didn't affect me personally. I mean, a man killing his family 3,000 miles away was awful, but honestly, did it have any pertinence in my life? And in reading that stuff, I was a negative voyeur, watching others' misery for my entertainment, because I was bored. How gross and selfish. I am a vampire, feeding off others' pain and misery. Not how I like to think of myself.
And the rest is 'celebrity news'. Pablum for the masses. Who cares what they wear, who they sleep with, what weird names they give their kids, etc. etc. ad nauseum etc.?
So I can check for important to me things, weather, health news (cause I'm studying the medical field), and a quick check for anything important. I realize that a lot of my guilt, the reason I thought I had to watch the news, is because I was just enjoying a cup of coffee and breakfast while the morning of 9/11 was happening, and didn't know about it until a friend came pounding on my door. I have felt like a bad American or something cause I didn't pay attention then. That's a messed-up attitude, and I realize has nothing to do with reality. I'm shedding the attitude.
So I don't want to be a vampire, and I don't want to watch this negative stuff anymore. I just feel gross and vile now when I do, now that I've admitted it. And there are so many other things to do, things on my 43 things list. I find when I look at the news, I immediately just STOP. Awesome, so I'm done.
Lessons & tips: Look at why you're doing this. Find something else to do.
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Jan 09, 11:24PM PST
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