Train Your Negativity Radar to See Real Progress

You’re gazing at the morning headlines—another natural disaster, another political crisis. It’s easy to feel the world is spinning out of control. Your heart rate rises, your jaw tightens, and you dive into doom-scrolling. Before long, your mind is racing with worst-case scenarios.

Pause. Take a breath. In that split second, invite yourself to widen your view beyond today’s drama. Picture the world’s child mortality rate over the last fifty years. Notice that curve steadily arching downward, even though it dipped briefly after wars or famines. Feel your shoulders relax as you realize that what you see in the news is not the whole story.

Now imagine life expectancy. That curve has climbed from 30 to 72 over two centuries, with only small flickers of crisis. Hold the positive slope in your mind while still acknowledging the challenges around you today. Ask: How can awareness of these improvements reframe my energy and focus?

This dual awareness—holding both bad and better—calms your nervous system. You still care deeply about urgent problems, but you refuse to be hijacked by only negative signals. Each time the news alarms you, remind yourself: “Better and bad,” and let data be your anchor.

Next time you feel overwhelmed by bad news, pause and remind yourself that slow, steady progress often goes unbeaten by headlines. Breathe deeply, then pull up a long-term chart of a crisis you care about—poverty, violence, or disease—and study its overall trajectory. Notice the improvements and let that sense of realistic hope settle in your mind. Give yourself a few moments of fact-based calm before deciding on your next steps.