Tag: mental-health

Pearls of Grace in the News

Why do we feed ourselves mostly on a diet of negative news? Studies suggest that the reason is physiological – the brain’s negativity bias is about survival. We simply pay more attention to negative information.

The odd phrase, “If it bleeds, it leads,” runs rampant in today’s news coverage. One study showed that on a “good news day” there was a 66% decrease in readership in an online Russian newspaper! However, news guru Arianna Huffington (founder of Huffington Post and CEO of Thrive Global), claims that readers want more positive news. She describes a journalist’s job as providing the “full picture” of what happens every day. She advocates for news that tells “…how people are…coming together, even in the midst of violence, poverty and loss…[and] all the other stories of innovation, creativity, ingenuity, compassion and grace.”

Perhaps others caught these pieces of positive news items from 2023, but I missed many of them and I watch a fair amount of TV news broadcasting.

  •   Malaria vaccine – The World Health Organization approved a new vaccine for malaria; a pilot program shows that it reduces deaths among children by 13%. Every year nearly half a million children die from malaria.
  •        Medical firsts – Bahrain, U.K. and the U.S. have all approved Casgevy, a therapy for the blood diseases sickle cell and beta thalassaemia. It is a gene-editing treatment which merited the Nobel Prize (2020). The first vaccine for RSV, a respiratory virus serious for children and elders, rolled out (I received this vaccine, thanks to researchers) and was instrumental in finding a new class of antibiotics.
  •        LGBTQ+ rights – Same-sex couples in Taiwan can adopt children now. Same-sex marriage is newly instated or about to become legal in Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Poland. Japan’s Supreme Court addressed transgender rights; surgical sterilization is no longer a prerequisite to change one’s gender.
  •        Criminal justice reform – The death penalty was abolished in Ghana (the 124th country to take this action). While the U.S. still maintains the death penalty, it is used with less frequency and there is a trend toward decarceration with no corresponding rise in crime.
  •        Some reduction of weapons of mass destruction – Peru, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and South Africa destroyed their final cluster munition stockpiles, the last countries of 112 that had agreed to do so in 2008. The U.S. is one of 191 countries committed to destroying chemical weapon stockpiles; a final rocket with sarin nerve agent was destroyed in Kentucky.
  •        Global wealth equality is increasing and poverty is decreasing – Global median wealth increased by 3%; the Swiss bank UBS’s reporting predicts that global wealth will grow 38% in the next 5 years due to middle-income countries like India.
  •        Climate advancements – Electric vehicles are more present. Deforestation in the Amazon is on a decline.

Like my bumper sticker says, “Grace happens.” Let’s inch closer and notice.

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

253. How might you increase conversation about positive news?

254. What steps can you take to problem-solve negatives in your community?

Pearls of Engagement

Why do “rules of engagement” or ROE have a military definition? The “rules” in ROE refer to guidelines for the ways in which the use of military force is deemed “acceptable.” Often, these rules breakdown in combat with terrifying consequences.

The word engagement simply means “an arrangement to do something or go somewhere at a fixed time.” A popular use of “engagement” refers to a loving agreement to marry another, not wipe them out. However, relationships sometimes are at war. We need rules for engagement.

Psychologist John Gottman’s research on couples can predict a divorce or breakup-in-the-making if the “Four Horsemen” are present – criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling. The #1 piece of advice from the Gottman Institute for sustaining a romantic relationship applies to other relationships too — turn toward (connect with) another’s bids successfully to pay attention; care about even small stuff that another person finds important in the moment. Make bids a practice. If needed, it is OK to prompt someone verbally: “I’m making a bid for attention now.”

We are creatures of belongingness or social connections, but loneliness is on the rise in the U.S. According to the Surgeon General, Dr. Dr. Vivek Murthy, loneliness tops other major health issues in the U.S. In a New York Times guest essay, Murthy reports alarming circumstances with a breakdown of engagement with others: “Loneliness is more than just a bad feeling. When people are socially disconnected, their risk of anxiety and depression increases. So does their risk of heart disease (29%), dementia (50%), and stroke (32%). The increased risk of premature death associated with social disconnection is comparable to smoking daily — and may be even greater than the risk associated with obesity.”       

Playwright Tennessee Williams challenged loneliness (Camino Real): “When so many are lonely as seem to be lonely, it would be inexcusably selfish to be lonely alone.”

Murthy challenged Americans to a “5-for-5 Connection Challenge” between December 4th-15th.

Step 1 – Commit to connect (by choosing 5 actions and 5 days in a row to connect with people;

Step 2 – Connect each of the 5 days (through choosing an action each day such as expressing gratitude, offering support, or asking for help);

Step 3 – Reflect and share (by first asking yourself, “How did connecting make me feel?” Let others know about your experience and invite them to join the challenge). How did connecting make you feel?  

Here are my reflections after I took up the Surgeon General’s exercise. I enjoy connecting with others, so this “challenge” was not difficult on the surface. I found that offering support is ingrained in my training and experience; it is a natural practice. I do offer gratitude frequently, but I plan to increase this one. Asking for help is not my general practice (except in technology snafus). I found pearls of engagement in Murthy’s challenge. Let’s extend his 5-day challenge for engagement.  

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

247. Where might you need practice in offering gratitude or support?

248. When do you connect with others by asking for help?