I admit it. I’m a self-confessed news junkie.
Even though the majority of news stories I watch on TV are filled with violence and sadness, I still feel compelled to listen and learn about what has happened during the day. My husband completely disagrees with me.
Once he has heard the daily sports scores, he is perfectly content to settle in on the couch and watch a rerun of Seinfeld for the 100th time, instead of the 10 p.m. news. I am sure that many of you feel the way he does.
People in our world are hurting, and I know it’s hard to hear about all of the problems we are facing. While we might not fully understand the day-to-day problem of gun violence, famine or poverty in our communities, we are all affected.
The upcoming presidential election has frustrated virtually everyone I know. And whether you are a child or an adult, it is not uncommon to feel anxious or overwhelmed by much of the news that we are exposed to every day. If you are looking for some tools and strategies to help cope with what is happening in the world today, I have a couple of suggestions to offer.
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An upcoming presentation called, “Living in Anxious Times — A Conversation with Three Rabbis” is being offered free of charge to our community thanks to the Adult Jewish Education Co-Op (AJEC).
Local Rabbi Lisa Bellows, of Congregation Beth Am; Rabbi Stephen Hart, of Temple Chai; and Rabbi Jeff Pivo, of Congregation Beth Judea, will be meeting at 7:45 p.m. Sept. 14 at Congregation Beth Judea, Route 83 and Hilltop Road, Long Grove.
They will participate in an inter-denominational discussion on Jewish views of fear in today’s world and answer the question of how to deal with respectful argumentation, extremism and the role of faith in a time of public anxiety. A donation of a non-perishable food item (preferably Kosher) would be appreciated to help stock the Beth Judea Food Pantry. For information, call the AJEC at 847-363-0000.
I also spoke with well-known local therapist Debbie Gross to get input on how she helps clients deal with some of these struggles. She offered some tips on how to process the news of today and put it into perspective.
“It is important to remember that you cannot control what is going to happen in life and it is important to learn to make the best of what life is now,” she said. “Michael J. Fox has a great quote about worrying about the future. He said, ‘Don’t spend a lot of time imagining the worst-case scenario. It rarely goes down as you imagine it will and if by some fluke it does, you will have lived it twice.'”
Gross encourages people to be more in the moment and celebrate what is good by focusing on gratitude and things that bring a person joy.
“Make connections with people that help you feel more present,” she said. “If you are feeling overwhelmed, it is good to try some techniques, such as concentrating on your breathing pattern or trying some visualization exercises.”
Gross also recommends an app called Insight Timer, a free application that offers more than 2,000 different guided meditations to choose from.
Most importantly, Gross said that people should “remember to live life to the fullest. You cannot live your life in fear because that means you are not living your life.”
Gross can be reached at [email protected].
Aileen Simons is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press. Reach her at [email protected].