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Stay grounded while digesting news By Sharon Johnson Aug 07, 2022 12:15 AM A A I have taken a break from engaging in the news of the world lately. It’s time to go back. I have a strong desire to re-reinvest and reconnect in knowing what’s happening in this country and internationally. But as a recent article in the New York Times put it: “How do you follow the news without spiraling into despair?” Here’s my plan. I am listening to ideas described by an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (Jenny Taitz) who offers suggestions about “staying grounded.” Her techniques center around “mindfulness.” She has several. I chose to do this first: “Label my feelings.” Here’s an example: Cable television and print media depict an atmosphere of “gun violence, war and political divide.” If I see or read something and think very specifically about how it makes me feel, I do better with integrating what is most important to know and am less likely to get stuck in an anguished and negative reaction. As illustration, I recently saw a photographic spread picturing injured and displaced Ukrainian families. I had a range of reactions from extreme sadness to disbelief. But when I told myself to “label the predominant feeling.” It was anger. Granted, that’s a negative feeling and not a safe place to stay emotionally for too long, but I think it will be a spur to action. Not sure what action yet — taking that a step at a time too. You can “feel” something but not let it overwhelm you. Does that make sense? Another mindfulness approach expands on that premise. It reminds us to “practice different types of empathy.” The approach is sometimes referred to as “perspective taking.” Try to “understand the world from another’s point of view in the moment, instead of absorbing yourself in their emotions.” I am exploring other ideas that may give me improved ability to cope with the sense of doomsday often present in breaking news stories and front-page headlines. This idea comes from the newly appointed poet laureate of the United States. Her name is Ada Limon. There’s typically an accent above the “o” in her name, so if you are reading my column aloud, you might want to say “Li-Moan.” In my mind, this woman seems an unlikely candidate for such a prestigious position. But she is very impressive. Limon is a young, former marketing executive who left the corporate world to “plunge into poetry” and the possibilities it offers to provide people with sustenance in these “fraught times.” She lives in California with her husband, a pug named Lily Bean and “an exceptionally old cat named Olive.” If you are beginning to explore podcasts as a way to expand your horizons, she hosts a poetry podcast called “The Slowdown.” Her work offers possibilities. Think about this excerpt from Limon’s poem “Dead Stars.” “Look, we are not spectacular things. We have come this far, survived this much. What would happen if we decided to survive more? Love harder? What if we stood up with our synapses and flesh and said, No.” Sharon Johnson is a retired educator living in Portland with her dog, Lucille Ball. Reach her at [email protected]