Homer's Travels: No News Is ... A Better Mood?

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

No News Is ... A Better Mood?

I've felt a mood shift since I got back from the Camino.  I feel a bit more mellow.  Not bad mellow ... good mellow.  A little less stressed.  A bit more content.  I attribute this to not watching as much news.

Since I got back from the Camino I've avoided most polarized news - meaning no Fox News and no MSNBC.  I still have my ingrained need to feel informed so I watch the nightly network news, some CNN, and the Daily Show naturally, but I limit my exposure.  If politics is being discussed, I change the channel to some non-news option like Criminal Minds (yes ... depraved, sadistic torture and mutilation is better for my sanity than political news).  I also read news online where I can control what I read and how much I read.

The result is less stress.  More relaxed muscles ... especially between my shoulder blades where my stress usually rides.  Less gritting of the teeth.  All in all I feel better.  But I also know I'm only a political commercial away from knots in my stomach and, with the midterm elections coming up, it will be hard to avoid them all.

One thing that has been mystifying is my lack of desire to go walking.  Since I got back in late October I have gone walking a total of four times.  My desire to get out and walk just isn't there.  I have been riding bike ... mostly on a training stand since it's been too cold outside ... so I am getting exercise but I have been a homebody since the end of my Camino.  Usually by late January the cabin fever drives me out of the house no matter the temperature or the weather.  This time I have been quite content hunkering down in my home.  I'm not sure if it's related to my mood shift or not.  Maybe walking was a way for me to get away from the crappy news and now that I'm minimizing my exposure I don't have the need any more.  Maybe with my next big walking project some three years away the urgency to get out and walk isn't there.

Whatever it is, I hope it's temporary.  Being content is great and all but it can lead to stagnation which in not great ... not great at all.

2 comments:

  1. I find since avoiding news and certain facebook feeds, my mood has improved as well. This winter has been a bear. I bet once the sun comes out more often, you'll be strolling along, and whistling or humming or eating delicious cookies!

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    Replies
    1. Autumn: You were right! The sun is out and I feel great!

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