Consuming More “Healthy Facts” (and Fewer Toxic Ones)

‍“Where your attention goes, your energy flows.”— James Redfield

‍It starts innocently enough—a quick scroll through the “news”, a glance at social media, turning on the television to pass the time. Before long, I can feel the shift. My body tightens. My thinking narrows.  My emotional charge goes negative. What began as curiosity becomes agitation. And the most striking part? I chose to step into it.

‍This has me wondering about what information I’m choosing to consume and how I engage with others around their choices. Neuroscience reminds us that our brains are wired with a negativity bias, primed to notice and hold onto threat. In today’s environment, where “breaking news” is constant and outrage and conflict are intentionally amplified, that wiring gets constant reinforcement. The result? What we repeatedly take in begins to shape not just our thoughts, but our emotional foundation. 

‍Watching this in my own life, and in the lives of colleagues, I’ve started to think differently about my “emotional diet.” What if I were more intentional not just about what I focus on, but what I allow in? The steady stream of negative news, algorithm-driven outrage, and conversations that predictably leave us drained are not neutral inputs. They accumulate. This isn’t about avoidance or denial. It’s about discernment. There is important information to stay engaged with. But not every headline deserves our attention. Not every debate requires our participation. And not every conversation is nourishing.

‍Psychologist Rick Hanson offers a helpful counterbalance. He encourages us to actively notice the “good facts” of our day, such as moments of connection, uplifting music, inspiring writing, positive media such as the Good News Network, or quiet reflection, and allow them to become “good experiences.” Stay with those moments for 20–30 seconds, long enough for them to register. Over time, this practice helps strengthen more positive neural pathways. In a world that constantly feeds us negativity, we may need to be even more intentional about what we choose to take in, and what we choose to hold onto.

Breaking the habit of mindless consumption may be one of the most important well-being practices available to us. This week, consider both sides of your emotional diet: Where might you reduce exposure to inputs that reliably drain you? And where might you create space for what nourishes you instead? A small shift in what we consume, and what we decline, can change the tone of an entire day. Over time, it may even reshape how we experience our work, our relationships, and ourselves—and with much less “emotional heartburn.” Now that’s a “diet” worth sticking with ....

PeerRx Challenge for this week: Try a 24-hour “all-media fast.” Notice how you are feeling during that time. Then consider doing an “emotional diet audit.” What are you consuming and how is each “ingestion” affecting you? Share that experience with your PeerRx partner or another colleague, then formulate a plan with them to reduce or redirect that attention.