The extraordinary intensity of news coverage globally over the last few years has left many journalists feeling like they are aboard a plane hit by violent turbulence.
In the U.S., the reelection of Donald Trump, who has masterfully owned news coverage like no other politician, viciously attacked journalists and threatened to go after critical outlets, has left journalists bracing themselves for years of uncertainty and relentless fact checking of his repeated false or unproven claims.
The anxiety journalists are experiencing today isn’t unique to the U.S. With democracies deteriorating globally, wars raging, income declining, global poverty no longer going down, hateful networks fortifying, and the climate crisis accelerating, how can journalists possibly gain any sense of balance in their lives as they keep up with the ever-swelling news agenda while operating with ever-thinning resources?
To find out, I turned for advice to four psychology, yoga, mindfulness and spiritual experts, who have a combined 75-plus years of experience helping professionals be more resilient.
Here are their pieces of advice for journalists facing uncertainty, burnout and more:
(1) Look for meaning in adversity, for we grow most in times of darkness
The first piece of advice, which reminded me of Viktor Frankl’s powerful account of finding meaning in calamity, Man’s Search for Meaning, came from London-based psychotherapist Lois Pimentel, and mindfulness and equanimity researcher and assistant professor at the University of Bolton, Joey Weber, who urged us to seek meaning in our challenges, and argued that adversity can lead to human growth.
“We often only learn through adversity. When things are chugging along, we just chug along, oblivious to everything,” said Pimentel. “We learn far more from pain than we do from pleasure,” Weber observed.
Journalists can benefit from this way of thinking by adapting their mindset to approach the coming years as not just a time of heavy turbulence but also as an opportunity for growth. Meanwhile, journalism organizations should consider investing more in mental health and resilience programs to support journalists through times of hardship and growth.
(2) Recognize and accept your difficult emotions like anger, anxiety and worry
Silvia Paparello, an Italian cognitive science Ph.D. and yoga teacher with 25 years of experience, argued that to survive challenging times it is imperative first to accept the pernicious nature of many of the emotions that ravage our bodies. “The uncertainty, fear [and] anger take a physical toll on our bodies and nervous system,” she explained.
From personal experience and the experiences of those around me, I know that not acknowledging our emotions — unfortunately the default in modern societies and especially prevalent in journalism — can lead to burnout, near-paralyzing anxiety, or even depression.
To accept their difficult emotions like anger, rage or anxiety, journalists should consider trying somatic therapy which helps us connect with and accept different emotions and sensations through attuning to the body, rather than just the mind.
(3) Develop a body-led approach to de-stressing your mind and calming your nervous system
Based on her knowledge and experience as a neuroscientist and yoga teacher, Paparello advocated for physical exercise as a way to work through stress, explaining that moving our bodies helps calm our minds. This is because humans’ nervous system evolved to protect us from danger by commanding our bodies to run or hide from bigger predators, she said.
“We cannot hide or outrun modern dangers, but our bodies still have that impulse, so going for a brisk walk does wonders for releasing some of that danger signal. When the mind is confused and fearful, let the wisdom of your body guide you,” she said.
(4) Ground yourself through meditation and connecting with nature
To alleviate some of the stress and anxiety that accompanies overtaxing work like journalism, Melissa Coton, an experienced meditation and yoga teacher based in Guatemala, recommended that we anchor ourselves in the present moment through daily meditation or similar practice. This can help arrest our tendency to fall prey to anxiety-perpetuating rumination.
She highlighted the soothing and grounding effect of nature in challenging times, the importance of nurturing our bodies with healthy food, and the value of creating harmony in the space around us. Weber also stressed nature’s healing qualities, instructing us to “step into the sunlight” each day.
(5) Form support communities within journalism and your local community
The darkening global situation presents opportunities for deepening human connections, said Pimentel, through creating or joining communities of interest dedicated to fostering unity and love. These communities, she believes, will spread as an antidote to the proliferation of hate and isolationism worldwide. “My strong instinct is that we will create and mushroom communities, because if we deal with this in isolation, we'll break down,” she said. “We have got to be in a community to withstand the attacks.”
“Anxiety thrives in isolation,” Weber noted, including for journalists who often operate in a fast-paced, anxiety-inducing, individualistic and competitive environment. He encouraged us to take the time to seek deeper connections with those around us. “Start small: connect with your community, volunteer, or simply have meaningful conversations.”
(6) Seek joy as a resistance to hate
In recent years, I have frequently repressed my joy, feeling it an indulgence when billions are suffering worldwide. Coton challenged this stance, arguing that allowing ourselves to feel joy is an important form of resistance to darkness (and self-protection against burnout, I would add). In his book, Happiness by Design, Paul Dolan also argues that to feel happy we must find balance between pleasure and meaning. If meaning dominates over joy one can end up burning out.
Coton quoted Hopi elder White Eagle’s reflection that every crisis has both a spiritual and social dimension. “There is a social demand in this crisis, but there is also a spiritual demand. The two go hand in hand. Without the social dimension, we fall into fanaticism. But without the spiritual dimension, we fall into pessimism and lack of meaning,” he observed.
Coton went on to share that the best resistance to aggression is to experience joy and celebrate life, quoting White Eagle again: “Don't feel guilty about being happy during this difficult time [...] Stay present and remember: It is through joy that one resists [...].”
(7) Take respite from yourself by focusing on others through volunteering
Coton, Paparello and Weber all attested to the empowering, balancing and enriching effect that service to others creates. They argued that in times of global contraction, shifting the focus from ourselves to others through volunteering is a mental health remedy not only for those needing help but for those offering it, too. Volunteering can also serve as a reminder to ourselves and others that hope and agency still exist.
For instance, if a journalist is concerned about food poverty, they can volunteer in a soup kitchen. If they are worried about a lack of critical thinking in America, they can volunteer for programs that bring books to children.
(8) Connect with the basic humanity of others, especially those with opposing views
Having experienced the pain, anger and disappointment of a loved one being on the opposite side of a political divide, I asked for advice on how to make peace with them when the chasm between us felt so vast. Recognizing the challenge herself, Coton softly advised that this moment of rupture provides an opportunity to connect with another’s basic humanity by focusing on similarities rather than differences.
Similarly, Weber recommended that we preserve our bonds with loved ones by focusing on our basic shared interests, like health, or love of food, instead of politics or divergent views on global events.
(9) Take a long-term view of human progress
To rekindle some bounded optimism, Coton encouraged us to take a long-term historical view of human progress, reminding that although humankind’s history has been riddled with violence, our species has survived, moved forward and even sometimes thrived. Weber offered a broader perspective, arguing that periods of contraction are always followed by periods of expansion.
If all else fails, our faith that a period of vehement turbulence will be succeeded by one of tranquility can keep us moving forward.
Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash.
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