“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” - 1 Corinthians 15:33

Many people I talk to these days are ditching their traditional viewing of televised news. They are opting to get their news from snippets on social media - although this can also be inaccurate and biased. People have grown weary of slanted media and the seeming agenda that network news seems to portray.

Media, in general, has not helped the cause of kindness in our world. News focuses on broken relationships, crimes committed against other people, and the pursuit of selfish living. Most comedy shows use put downs to get a laugh. We are drawn to stories of infidelity, and more and more movies focus on the power within the individual to make a life for themselves. Is this a mindset you’ve allowed to creep into your own thinking?

“Garbage in, garbage out.” We can start to believe that self-preservation and belittling others are our only courses of action. This is where insecurity can rear its ugly head. Making a joke at someone else’s expense is a cheap shot - it’s like sugar to our systems. It can give us a quick egocentric boost, but it always comes with harmful consequences. Most of us have been the butt of a joke at one time or another, and we can still remember it.

The only way to truly create and maintain a culture of care is to be aware of the ideas you allow in your mind. That’s why this project is designed to be completed with others. Each person’s experience encourages others and changes our mental diet from selfish thinking to healthier thoughtfulness. 

TRY IT: For every negative headline you read or watch, what is some good news you can get from it?