You’ve undoubtedly heard the expression in media – if it bleeds, it leads.

Essentially, if a story can capture an audience’s focus through violence, conflict, or death — it gets our attention. And our attention is precisely what media outlets want.

Are you happy or outraged? 

Did you know that many people would rather feel outraged than happy? It sounds counter-intuitive, but we experience an energetic rush (an “adrenaline-hit” if you will) from feeling outraged. We want to feel that rush of aliveness, especially after years of stagnation. Furthermore, we are often outraged at a specific group we oppose, making us feel better for being “right.” 

It goes without saying, then, that plenty of people absorb if it bleeds, it leads content. Ingesting this kind of material consistently has the consequence you would expect it to — it makes us outraged and indignant, with feelings of fear, paralysis, and often powerlessness.

These negative feelings continue the cycle of consuming more media and experiencing subsequent emotional responses. Now feeling powerless, we want that rush of adrenaline. But that rush makes us feel worse in the long run. 

The good news! We can pivot at any time.

Luckily, we can change patterns that don’t serve us with a dose of awareness and a desire to feel good through more productive or creative means. 

Warren Buffet is quoted as saying: Investing in yourself is the best thing you can do — anything that improves your own talents. 

Our emotional and mental states can be easily molded by the world around us, especially through the media we ingest. Or we can make a conscious decision to take matters into our own hands and improve ourselves — physically, mentally, spiritually, and financially. 

While the sky isn’t falling as much as the media would like us to believe, things will look differently in a few years than they do now. Knowing this and knowing there is still much in our control gives me tremendous hope for our collective future.

Would you like more control over your financial future? If you’re interested in learning how to invest in tangible assets that can give you an income stream, protect you from inflation, and benefit the surrounding community, then schedule a call with me to discuss an investment opportunity with BlackTree Investment Group that is on the horizon!