I Deleted My News App

You may be curious why anyone would want to delete their news app. How on earth could one stay informed? In the beginning, the idea of having access to news twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week was exciting. I grew up with newspapers and magazines delivered to our home regularly. We had a set of Brittanica encyclopedias that my sister and I loved browsing through at an early age. On visits to our grandparent's home, I often observed my grandfather reading the Philadelphia Inquirer, The Bulletin, The Daily News, and our only Black newspaper, the Tribune. So naturally, my desire to stay abreast of the news was second nature. Being informed has always been important to my family.

When former President Barak Obama began his run for the presidency, my insatiable desire of wanting to be "in the know" went into overdrive. At my house, cable news was on at all hours of the day and night. I later downloaded several news apps to my phone. Soon after, I discovered a platform that allowed me to select news and magazines of interest on one app. I even subscribed to being notified of "breaking news." I prided myself on distinguishing between information reported objectively and news outlets slanted in their reporting.

Fast forward to the year 2022. The times we live in appear to be worse than ever. Daily reports of increasing murder rates, hate crimes, suicide, poverty, catastrophic weather events, and COVID-19 dominate the news cycles. Many of these reports left me with a sense of profound sadness and anger. Around September of 2021, I noticed feelings of anxiousness and agitation within me. I could not put my finger on what was causing my anxiety at the time but remember having these feelings after reading or watching the news in hindsight. Since childhood, I have always been sensitive to the needs and hurts of others. I had no idea that my increasingly anxious mental state was the amount of time I spent binge-watching the news.

After weeks of praying, I received a breakthrough. A sermon I heard year's ago broadcast on a popular podcast. While listening, the speaker reminded me that what we fill our minds with affects us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I thought about a particular scripture in the Bible that advises Christians to meditate on things that are admirable, uplifting, and worth reporting. I knew this message was an answer to my prayers. addressed me and immediately deleted my news app.

The source of my anxiety was the heavy load I was carrying, desperately wanting to live in a society where all is well for everyone, knowing it will never be. I had allowed too much of the world and its problems to consume me. Since deleting the news app, I have become more selective about my focus across all media platforms. Today, I feel more at peace, less stressed, and am more productive. I have started writing again and look forward to doing activities long put off.

What I experienced has taught me a lot about myself. I am listening to the signals my body sends sooner. Being mindful of what I allow to consume my time and energy has given me a sense of control over my life. Setting clear boundaries for myself and sticking to them is a choice. One of the most important lessons I learned is that I can not solve all society's ills. However, I can continue to do my part to make a difference in the lives of others in my sphere of influence. Lastly, I have decided every day to focus on the good.