Think that’s impossible? I’m here to tell you that you CAN thrive in this economic environment or any other. It’s simply a matter of perspective – YOUR perspective.

Many people sit glued to the TV, radio, news groups, news papers, etc. and listen to all the terrible things happening in this world. The economy, natural disasters, wars …I can go on and on. We can also get all kinds of negative information from the people we interact with. We have been doing this for so long we have forgotten that we have the power to filter what we are hearing and absorbing. We have allowed ourselves to be at the mercy of a HUGE industry that makes HUGE amounts of money by instilling fear and perpetuating feelings of fear and anger.

Have you noticed how the media can spend hours upon hours reporting on the same thing, saying the same thing over and over, just in different ways? They are so good at it we don’t even realize it’s happening. They have us under their spell, which increases their audience numbers, which allows them to charge more for advertising.

But, what is it doing to us? It’s destroying our sense of hope, our happiness, our health, our wealth, and our future.

This doesn’t have to be! We are in control of what we see, hear and read. We don’t have to become a slave to the evening news or the daily newsgroup updates. We can pick and choose what we want to absorb. It’s always a good thing to have a high level of knowledge about what is happening around the world, but we don’t need to know every single aspect. When we focus so much of our energy on the “news” we are slowly depleting our happiness, our health, our finances and negatively affecting our futures.

Instead of focusing on all the bad going on in the world, focus on the good that is happening. Bad things will happen in life. The important thing is to look at the bad things and decide to learn something from them, and then do something good as a result. Focus on how you can help others or the environment instead of wallowing on how bad everything is. I promise you will feel empowered and you will begin to thrive.

Your mindset is yours, and you have every right to protect it to ensure your happiness. We live in a media culture where we are supposed to be connected and tuned in 24/7. But why? How is that really benefitting us? It’s not. It’s hurting us. Be very selective about what you allow into your mind and what you allow to affect your mindset. Don’t live with your head in the sand, but don’t live obsessing about the bad. No one benefits from that!

Once you have engaged your “filter” you will find your mood, your mindset and your life will take on a new light. You will feel hopeful again, and the outlook for your future will be positive instead of negative. You will begin to thrive, no matter what happens around you. And by thriving you will help others to thrive. Think of it as one of your contributions to helping society. If you are down, you will only bring others down with you.

The first and most important step is to start filtering. Filter what you hear on the television, what you read in the newspaper or online, and what you hear from other people. Guard your mind and everything you allow to enter, knowing you are doing a great service to yourself and those around you. Start thinking about the good you can do and take action. You will immediately find your level of happiness and joy increase!

Action Steps:

1. Keep a journal for one week of the time you spend watching, reading and talking about the news. Document how you received the news, if it was positive or negative, and how it made you feel.
2. Look for ways to filter out the negative while still keeping tabs on what is happening in the world. Remember, you don’t need to know everything about everything. For example, I subscribe to the New York Times and Washington Post e-mail alerts. They provide quick snippets of current news and I don’t get bogged down with the details.
3. Decide to spend the time you previously spent watching and reading negative news on something positive. For example, spend the time talking with family or friends (make sure they are on the same page and don’t wallow in the negative), spend time doing something you enjoy, read an inspiring book, listen to music that makes you happy.
4. Keep track of how you feel as you wean yourself from the negative. Some people have to go cold turkey and eliminate all news for one or two weeks to break out of the habit and increase their happiness.
5. Enjoy your new found freedom!