- How many times a day do you watch the news on TV?
- How many times a day do you listen to the news on the radio?
- Do you spend a lot of time reading the newspapers every day?
- Are you a news addict?
- Do you really need to stuff your mind with so many details every day?
- Do you need all the strain, stress, and fears caused by watching the news?
- Will you be able to change events and the world by listening to the news?
A great number of people have the need to watch, listen, read and discuss the news, important matters and also trivial matters.
This habit makes it difficult to control the mind, and it weakens the ability to concentrate.
This habit also prevents you from experiencing inner peace, since your mind constantly buzzes with details of the news, and because the news makes you stressed strained, anxious and often unhappy.
I am not suggesting that you stop being interested in what is going on in the world.
I am not suggesting that you close your eyes and your mind.
Living in the world, you need to know what is going on in the world, but you can limit the time you spend watching, listening or reading the news, by exercising a “news diet”.
Someone who wants to lose weight and is on a diet abstains from certain foods, eats less food, and tries to exercise control concerning the quantity of food, frequency of eating, and the kind of food to eat. You can do the same with the news.
How to Implement the News Diet?
- Limit the time you watch the news on TV.
- Reduce the time you listen to the news on the radio. Once or twice a day is quite enough.
- Start by limiting the time you spend reading the newspapers, even if they are so interesting. Next, decide on days you read the newspapers and days you don’t.
- Refrain from discussing the news with other people, but if you do participate in discussions and wish to say what you think, make it short, and be careful not to get into heated discussions.
- Try to be a little detached when watching, listening, reading, or discussing the news.
A news diet will teach you to be mentally free and able to shape your own opinions.
A news diet will prevent too much unimportant details and opinions from filling your mind, enabling to feel happier and more at peace.
Practicing a news diet can be your first step toward freedom from mental programming.
You may even go one step further, and have a “news fast”, just a some people fast and don’t eat, you may have “a news fast” – not watching, listening or reading the news every once and then, for a day or several days.
It might be tough to stop listening, reading and watching the news for a few days, as there are so many thinking happening, and there is a great curiosity. However, abstaining from the news for a few days, will make you feel more peaceful and less stressed.
Some people might feel stressed for not listening to the news. Yet, it is a good exercise for them to display some self-discipline and inner strength.
Willpower and self discipline will strengthen your ability to change your habits, control your mind and practice the “news diet”.
