Read the World #1

I’ve learned over the years that paying attention to the world matters.
Living inside the news and social media cycles does not.

There’s a difference between being informed and being overwhelmed — and learning that difference is a form of preparedness and protection for yourself. The internet is full of BS as much as it can be an absolute goldmine of good things and joy.

I feel like we all could’ve done without ‘doom-scrolling’ being a thing though.

Doomscrolling feels productive (but isn’t)

Doomscrolling gives the illusion of control. If you know everything, maybe nothing will surprise you. If you’re in the know, maybe you can do something. BS alert!

In reality, it:

fragments your attention
heightens anxiety, fear, and anger
blurs what really matters
makes action feel impossible
overwhelms and under-informs

More information isn’t clarity. Structure is.

Think Like an Analyst, Not a Reactor

You don’t need special training to observe the world well. You need a brain, some common sense, and a curious, questioning soul.

This is one way I’ve found helpful to look at the information being shoved at us from every online angle:

What’s actually happened?
Who is affected?
Is this new, or part of a longer pattern?
Does this change anything in my daily life?
Can I learn from it, or is it just overwhelming or a distraction?

If it doesn’t affect decisions you can make, it doesn’t deserve your constant attention.

That might sound harsh, but in a world full of information and mis- and dis-information, I think it’s pretty critical we learn to separate from things outside our realm of ability.

Choose Fewer Sources, Not More

Being informed doesn’t mean consuming everything.

I find it helps me to:

follow a small number of reliable sources that are funded differently (helps to protect my news access from the same biases, and to ensure I look at things from multiple angles)
avoid commentary designed to provoke fear or anger (hello, social media click bait disguised as ‘news’)
check information once or twice a day, not constantly – you can even drop this to once a week. Think the tradition of the Sunday paper as a guide – once a week, you sit down with a cuppa and dive in. The you leave it all behind when you put the paper down on the kitchen table.

The goal is orientation and information, not immersion.

Zoom Out Before You Zoom In

Single events are noisy. Patterns are more useful.

Before reacting, think like an analyst, and ask:

Has this been building for a while?
Is this part of a broader trend?
What has actually changed today versus last month? Last year? This decade?

Most “breaking news” isn’t actually breaking — it’s unfolding, or an addition to existing situations. Don’t drown in the noise.

Turn Awareness Into Grounded Action

Information is only useful if it leads somewhere – awareness, education, understanding, action.

Practical responses might include:

reviewing household preparedness (think weather warnings, climate forecasts)
checking finances and buffers (economic downturn on the horizon?)
strengthening routines and skills (economy and job info could tip you off to a booming sector)
investing in community and relationships (seeing a downturn in your street? Make some connections, built that sense of community back up)

Preparedness lives in your daily approach, not your anxiety, and information is part of that.

Protect Your Inner World

Staying informed should not come at the cost of your nervous system and soul. We all know that doom-scrolling is a trap that worsens anxiety, increases fear, and disconnects us from reality at times. You need to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Remember, you’re allowed to:

take breaks from news
prioritise sleep and presence
focus on your home and people

Being calm is not careless. It’s being capable.

If you have kids, teach them to question things. It’ll equip them to think more critically about what they see online and hear in person when you’re not around.

Clear, Calm, Capable

Reading the world isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about knowing enough — and staying sane while you do.

It’s about building the capability to stay informed and stable – don’t let the news cycle or doom-scrolling control your life.

What do you do to avoid doom-scrolling while staying informed? Any hot tips?

Horizon Homestead