In a time of constant updates, locally and globally, it’s easy to feel like the news never stops.
So, for February’s Big Question, we asked you: How do you find peace when the news cycle feels overwhelming?
Here’s how some of you cope when the news of the day starts to feel like it’s too much.
Jay - Hampton, NH: I make sure that I look at multiple sources so that when I am reading the news, I'm reading the real news and not just somebody's opinion that goes one way or the other. I'm reading books. I'm doing projects around the house. I'm going for a walk. I'm talking to my neighbors and my friends. Talking to people is a great way to be informed about the issues that are more local and personal issues, rather than national news issues. And the local and personal issues tend to not be quite so disruptive.
Beverly - Alton, NH: Generally, I just go away from the news. My husband's a news buff, so it's on a lot. And I just go into another room and read a book. Just getting into a good book that is fun and enjoyable and gets me to laugh a little bit. And I have a cousin that writes rom coms, and I'm so pleased with her three books that she's come out with. They're they're fun and they make you laugh, and they're peaceful.
Georgeann - Madbury, NH: I just get so tied up in a knot that I feel like screaming to somebody. And, I don't know, primal scream isn't really my thing. So, what I've discovered, I've just recently brought out a book on using Shakespeare as a guide to living. I just choose a Shakespearean character and just go into character and have a real good rant. Just let it fly. And somehow, inhabiting some other character other than my worried self, that sort of relieves the stress.
Queen Margaret
What were you snarling all before I came,
Ready to catch each other by the throat,
And turn you all your hatred now on me?
Did York's dread curse prevail so much with heaven?
That Henry's death, my lovely Edward's death,
Their kingdom's loss, my woful banishment,
Could all but answer for that peevish brat?
Lynn - Auburn, NH: Whenever the news gets stressful, I will go for a long walks in the woods. I do that anyways, but lately I've been doing a lot of walking in the woods and now with this beautiful snow, I've been doing a lot of cross-country skiing in the woods. It keeps me sane, keeps your mind in a better place, I think. And there's nothing better to me than being outdoors in the woods. The beautiful green trees, the smells. It really affects all your senses and in a positive way.
John - Eliot, ME & Lee, NH: I really feel like even in something like adding maple syrup to my coffee, it's just one piece of action, a small piece of action. But it reminds me that life is still sweet and especially living in a community like I live in. But if you buy maple sugar and maple syrup, you're keeping your neighbor, your New England farmer down the road, in business. And so I've always loved that. You know, when I make my cup of coffee in the morning, I add that local sweetness that's rebuilding local economies, keeping farms vibrant and my farmers market going all winter long. When the news overwhelms, I hear my grandmother's voice saying, she always loved bittersweet, and she'd say, ‘What I love about it is that that's life. It's bittersweet. But you can never forget the sweet.’
Sandy - Goshen, NH: When I find that I am struggling for quiet and peace in a very anxious world… right now I'm sewing a shirt, and I find that that takes just enough of my mind to get it done, that I can block out everything else.
Mary - Langdon, NH: I keep a gratitude journal, and I write down usually every night before I go to bed so I can stay calm before going to bed, I'll write down two or three things that I'm especially grateful for. Even if it's something just as basic as having a warm, safe place to sleep, or I have plenty of food, or I have my pets or my friends and just all so many things I can be grateful for. And that really keeps me focused on the good things in my life.
Meg - Lyme, NH: When the news gets overwhelming, I look to my two newfoundlands, Bear and Tawny, to turn my mood around. Bear and Tawny are friends with all of the dogs who live in our lane, and by my count, there are at least 12 dogs in the pack. When I need to clear my head, I take to my street and see how many dogs I can round up for a walk through the woods. On a good day, I may end up with four or five dogs with me when I'm trudging through the snow or the newly fallen leaves, surrounded by the joy of dogs who are thrilled to be outside, showing their natural curiosity for everything around them, wagging their tails and smiling their goofy dog smiles. It lightens my mood and makes me happy to be alive and outside with my furry friends.
