Instinctively, many of us turn away from bad news. We don't like the way bad news makes us feel or the way it increases our fear. Good news is welcome, bad news is not.
I believe this is one reason that many prefer to ignore pandemic warnings and turn a blind eye towards pandemic precautions. We don't want to think about it and we want to act like this pandemic doesn't exist. We want to believe the naysayers as their message is more positive, yet we can't forget that those naysayers like Trump, could care less about our health and safety. If we live or die doesn't matter to them since they lead for their own power, pocketbook, and self-gratification alone, not our welfare.
So how do we embrace bad news? How do we make ourselves consider the bad news that exists?
Listen
To ignore bad news, is to put our own lives in jeopardy. In many ways, bad news is a good teacher about what not to do and what to avoid.
Consider the source
When it comes to bad news, consider the source. Those with deep experience, positive track records, substantial education, and a selfless will to serve will likely be trustworthy.
Understand what this bad news is teaching you
What can you learn from bad news? How can the bad news make your life better? My mom always read us the bad news from the newspaper. It was actually a good way to teach us about some of life's troubles and problems. Those stories helped us to be stronger and smarter in situations that could be dangerous or bad. Understanding the world around us including the bad news can make our lives better.
See the situation with perspective
Look for the numbers and ratios to understand the bad news with perspective. For example, the news often highlights horrible situations that happen to only a few or in a small space in the world. Compared to all the good events and good people, those events are relatively small and less threatening to most people, yet you can't ignore small events as sometimes those events are the start to bigger, more dangerous situations. So understand the issue with perspective. Seek the finer details of the situation to understand the situation better.
Seek out the good news too
Often news channels, magazines, and articles focus on the bad news more than the good news. We have to be intentional often in order to find the good news. That's important too.