Confession Time: I Turned on the News Again

This is tough to admit… but I turned on the news.

Lately, I can’t seem to stop myself from checking in on all the bad things happening around the world. Just a few months ago, I was preaching the opposite—encouraging others to stop tuning in, to focus on their own economy instead of the economy. I even wrote a blog post recently about how important it is to protect your mental space by stepping away from the news cycle.

Yet here I am, doing exactly what I said not to do.

It feels like that moment when you’re driving past an accident—you don’t want to look, but something in you just has to see what’s going on. I even tried switching to “positive news” outlets. Want to guess how many of those are out there? Not many. Why? Because bad news sells. Positivity doesn’t drive clicks the same way fear and chaos do.

The truth is, it’s hard to resist something you logically know is bad for you. My brother recently told me he’s been struggling to sleep because of how much money he’s lost in the stock market. And while I understand, I also know that losing sleep won’t bring that money back. I haven’t even opened my RRSP account—I know it’s probably taken a hit, and honestly, I’m not ready to face it yet.

These past few weeks have been painful. The financial stress, the fear, the war overseas... it all takes a toll. I’m not just talking about the numbers on a screen—I'm talking about real people, real lives being affected.

At the same time, I remind myself that worrying doesn’t help anyone. What can I do? I can donate to relief efforts. I can stay informed just enough to vote responsibly in the upcoming election. I don’t need a 24/7 stream of headlines to do that.

So here’s my advice—to myself, and maybe to you too: Start again. I slipped up this time, but I can reset. I’ll ask my husband to fill me in on anything I really need to know. The rest? I’m choosing to let go of it.

I’ve got a new job that keeps me busy. I’ve got my kids, my passion project. I don’t have the time or emotional bandwidth for anxiety-inducing news.

Here’s my new plan: I’m buying a few good books and leaving them around the house and in my bag. That way, when I feel the urge to scroll through headlines, I’ll pick up a book instead. I may not be able to eliminate the need for distraction—but I can choose better distractions.

Just because you fall doesn’t mean you stay down. Get up. Try again.

I know I’m only human, and it’s okay to slip. But I owe it to myself—and to my sanity—to keep trying. Time is short. I don’t want to look back one day and realize I spent 30 minutes a day on junk news when I could have spent that time with my kids, my husband, or even just in peace.

So here’s my mantra going forward: Stop watching the news. Focus on your economy. One small step at a time.