The News Can Be Depressing — But This Is How I Make It Work For Me

I love the news. I love to be aware.

That doesn't necessarily mean I want to get into heated debates at dinner tables (I’d rather tell jokes and catch up with friends most of the time, anyway). And, I don’t feel the need to prove what I know, or even feel bad about what I don’t. But, I want to be an informed human. I want to be in touch with the difficult truths of our world and not shy away from what is actually happening out there — as difficult and hopeless as it can make me feel sometimes.

Plus, the silver lining to reading the paper is that you're rewarded for slogging through the painful layers when you get to the core stories that give you nothing but hope and let you know the world is still a beautiful place. And, that there are still incredible people out there doing big and small things.

My favorite reads are the teeny-tiny stories that can get lost in the shadow of bigger news of the day. It is these stories that carry me through my week. I need them. After digesting the heartache, my heart gets healed by the heroes and the angels walking all around us.

So, I look for an interesting mix, and this is how I find it.

The NBC Nightly News

Yes, the old-fashioned 6 o’clock end-of-the-day news that comes from your television, and feels like a relic of another era. The 1950s-inspired way that Brian Williams so wonderfully delivers difficult and cutting-edge information makes me appreciate and feel comforted by his cadence and sensitivity. There is a thoughtfulness to this show, a personal connection you can make if you choose to do so. In a busy life, it is only 30 minutes, and will always give you a “cherry on top” at the end, in a segment called “Making A Difference.”

60 Minutes You just can’t mess with a show that gets this kind of access. One hour a week isn’t a lot to devote to all the profound stories about people and things that live and occur in our world. But, it is the in-depth nature of each segment that makes you feel like you’re getting privileged information in an accessible way. The reporters and producers of "60 Minutes" are old school. Respected. And, they can also deliver a real poetic punch. This is a show that can truly make you marvel at everything from oceans to operas. And, sometimes after spending so much time getting the CliffsNotes on world-changing events, it is important to spend a little more time learning about more everyday things.

The Week This easily digested news magazine includes all the global scrapbooking one could need. You get all the facts, but the editors of The Week specialize in reporting all the news from around the world in a very succinct format, which I love. The magazine, like a great newspaper, also includes the fun and creative topics, like art, literature, food, and gadgets. The op-ed pieces are always well-written, and my favorite sections, which I read out loud to my husband at dinner, are called “It Wasn’t All Bad” and “Good Week Bad Week.” It’s the purse-friendly read that makes you happy when someone is late to meet you. (And, it also lives online!)

The Colbert Report He is so funny. And so smart. Yes, he’s always in character, but there is still transparency in how he truly feels about news and events. With only a few months until The Colbert Report wraps up (yes, folks...it's his final year!), this is still the show where you'll learn about injustice in the most clever way. You'll learn about random stories no one else is talking about. You will get mainstream news — but, with strange facts and from interesting, unlikely guests. Writers, politicians, scientists. And, artists, too. But, mainly, it is the people who would not otherwise get that kind of spotlight that I love learning from. I wonder if he will have some of these interesting people on his new show?

NPR No matter where I am in the world, I always listen to NPR. The only form of radio news that I’ve included on this list that is forever tapped into what is happening globally — in and up to the moment. And, that’s on top of having standard news programs like Delicious Dish and All Things Considered. This is the original gangster of feeling connected to all things at all times. It's becoming increasingly anachronistic, in the Internet age, to listen to radio; however, some things should never change, and NPR is a donor-based platform that still reminds me that we are all just human beings trying to function as safely as possible, as we navigate a big, crazy, beautiful world.