News and media is widely accessible these days thanks to modern technology; we can keep up to date at home or on the go, and at any time of the day or night.

It used to be the case that in order to become informed of the current events of the world, we would have to tune in to the TV or radio at certain times throughout the day.

When I was younger, my parents would sit down to watch the main evening news at 6pm everyday- and sometimes again at 9pm. This was extremely upsetting for me and my brothers- as our cartoons were put on hold in favor of current affairs and politics, and other such material that we found uninteresting.

What struck me at the time was how- more often than not- the mood in the room would become slightly tetchy after watching the news. It would usually leave my parents feeling upset, and frustrated.

Similarly, if there were a group of adults watching the news together- for example if we had visitors over- a big discussion would always ensue where everyone would complain about the current state of affairs; a cluster of pessimism.

I always showed my age at the time by thinking- perhaps a little selfishly-

“We’re missing ‘The Simpsons’ for this?!”

As I got older and began to tune in myself- I found that there rarely seemed to be happy or uplifting stories being broadcast, and I can’t recall ever coming away feeling revitalized or enlightened as a result.

So, I made the conscious decision a long time ago to not tune in to the news- of any kind.

Now and again I will have a look at the sports pages- as I am a sports fan- or the gossip column just to keep an eye on what Kourtney, Kim and Khloé are getting up to- but that goes without saying.

I know some will say that it is irresponsible- that we should keep informed with current affairs and what is going on in the world around us- and maybe they are right.

For me though, I like to think that there is much to be gained by taking control of the information we consume.

Health

Stay with me here.

Yes, every nugget of information we absorb on a daily basis is affecting our health- and that includes the type of news we decide to engage with.

In gaining complete control of the material we expose ourselves to- we are taking steps towards improving our health and happiness. I understand that this isn’t always possible to control- but it’s something we can try to keep in mind.

It doesn’t make any sense to me- to invest our time in something that is perhaps going to have a negative impact on our well-being.

Productivity

I’m not sure of the exact figures, but I would guess that we spend a pretty substantial chunk of our week tuned in to news and media.

Why not free up some of that time spent listening to those irritating politicians go around in circles- and dedicate it towards some of the things which we had been putting off.

Maybe it’s the novel we had always dreamed of writing, or the business idea that has been simmering now for some time, or perhaps there is something we simply want to tick off our bucket list- whatever the case- let’s go and get after it.

Mindfulness

When we begin to limit our exposure to news and media, we allow ourselves to become more aware of our thoughts and feelings.

In doing so, we are afforded with the opportunity to listen to our inner voice, and to carry on passionately along the path that was set out for us.

Purpose and Meaning

In the act of looking inward- rather than allowing outside influences dictate our thoughts and actions- we begin to realize what it is that we really want to achieve in life.

We have an opportunity to create our own news- to impact the world and the lives of those around us in a positive way- with desire and fortitude.

The world will continue to turn- whether we decide to tune in or not- but the important thing is that we feel in control of our own destiny.

Like I said, I don’t feel like we are missing out on anything by deciding not to follow the news- quite the opposite actually. I feel like we can be better for it, and have much more to gain by deciding to take control of the information we consume.

If there is something of great importance- or is of relevance to our current situations- I figure we will find out sooner or later.

Who knows, perhaps the day will come when I will feel the need to start following the news- when I have transformed into one of those disagreeable old hecklers from ‘The Muppets’ and have become cynical and battle-hardened from the experiences of life- but I sincerely hope not.

Or better still, maybe by then the news will be filled with positive, inspirational, feel-good content that will leave us feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, excited to go and make the most of the day ahead; to live our lives to the fullest.

Now that is something I would tune in to.

We can live and hope- but until then- I’ll stick to my cartoons.

You can check out Patrick’s self-development website The Irish Introvert, and you can also follow him on Twitter and Facebook. 

The post 4 Major Reasons We Need To Tune Out. NOW. appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

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Can one predict their future? Not really. There are ways, however, to help your life steer in the direction you wish. One of the huge benefits, is that you can start today – in fact, right now. The best way to begin, is to research where you currently are (see the graph below).

Now I want you to put an imaginary line on the graph – one that will most accurately show where you stand in it. This should be seen as a progress bar. In order to end up in the purple area, you need to know how close you are to it. A common problem nowadays is that most people happen to know their friends better than they know their own selves. That is also one of the main reasons this article exists. Let’s get started now!

The first exercise that’ll help you, is to make a “priorities list” for the things you love doing. We are looking for things that you can progress in – like playing an instrument for example. I understand drinking beer might be your favorite thing to do, but you can’t get better than other beer lovers. We need things that you’ll constantly improve at. If you find yourself unable to think of anything appropriate to write down, do yourself a favor, and expand on your skill sets. Live by the “Try Everything Once” principle to experience your life to it’s fullest. Wanna learn how to cook? Join a class! Feeling like dancing? Move your body to the nearest club and start shaking it!

Next thing you’ll want to know about yourself, is your insecurities and fears. Yes, I know most people hate doing that, but it’s just as vital for your success as knowing your hobbies. Let’s try observing it from another perspective : your best version is confident. Confident people also have fears and insecurities, but they’re not afraid to admit it. In that sense, understanding what makes you feel uncomfortable is a huge step towards success.

“To overcome your fears, you must first get to know them.”

Body language and social skills are also worth mentioning. Grab a book and read more about those, so you’ll know exactly where you stand. A great way to improve your communication skills, is to constantly keep meeting new people. This will expand your knowledge and you’ll also be able to observe different behavior patterns. Having a good body posture is a must if you want to emit confidence, and using it in your advantage will always benefit you. Get to know how close your current skill set is to that of a confident person, and improve on that.

Habits also have a heavy impact on who you are, and who you’ll become. Learn what’s driving you to light up that morning cigarette, or to have a work out routine. Understand the idea behind every habit you have, and choose which ones to get rid of. Think of it this way : if you could stop smoking, and start spending money only on important things, you’ll have reduced the chances of getting a lung cancer and will have saved enough money to start your own business one day.

Planning your future is a great thing, but plans should be easy to follow, so aiming for something really far ahead won’t benefit you – you’ll find the lack of immediate results frustrating instead. After realizing who you are, you’ll be able to find purpose in your life. At this point, choosing who you want to become will be a piece of a cake.

I’m Todor Kostov from Dive In Success. A blog, in which we express our thoughts on different life-changing topics.

The post Why You Should Learn Your “Present” Before Planning Your “Future” appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

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