How I stay sane in an insane world

Dwight Eisenhower said, “Never waste a minute thinking about people you don’t like.” 

Yeah, but there are so many of them, says I. And so many ideas I don’t like, too. 

Truth is, unless I have a very good reason for thinking about negative things, I don’t do it. 

I’ll admit, this takes practice. It’s only natural to get angry when some buffoon says something that flies in the face of logic or tradition or denigrates someone I like and trust. Unfortunately, as someone who reads the news every day, this kind of buffoonery is omnipresent. 

What do I do? Mostly, I read or listen to people who are paid to deal with the dark side and let them summarize it for me. 

I dive in, get the gist of the story, shake my head, and go back to whatever I was doing before. I stay aware of what’s going on in the world but I don’t allow it to consume me. 

I spend little time on social media. I’ve blocked the blockheads and rarely comment, post, or share. Mostly, I check out what my daughter has been up to and peruse group posts on subjects I follow. 

If there’s someone I want to talk to, I’ll email them. 

And I keep busy, learning things I want to learn, working, reading, binge-watching Netflix, and spending time with my wife.

I also spend a lot of time thinking. 

I think about all the good in my life and the bright future that lies ahead. I think about what I want, not what I don’t want,  where I’m going, not where I’ve been.

When a negative thought intrudes on my mind, I replace it with the positive equivalent. If that doesn’t work, I distract myself and let the negative thought drift away into oblivion. 

And that’s how I stay sane in an increasingly insane world. 

How to use the Internet to make your phone ring