“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” ~ Audre Lorde

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There are days when I feel as if I’ve stepped into a storm that I can’t outrun.

My heart races, my breath shortens, and my spirit winces at the cruelty, the heartbreak, and the unbearable weight of it all.

Yet because I want to know, because I care, because it gives me a sense of control in a world I can’t control, I keep reading and watching the news anyway.

As an empath, I’m learning that it’s important to stay informed and engaged, but it’s not healthy to absorb the pain of the world without learning how to protect myself first.

News isn’t just information to me. It’s energy.

If you’re someone who cares and feels deeply, the energy field and visual context of the news enter through every doorway of your mind, body, heart, spirit, and soul. You don’t need to identify as an empath or HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) to experience panic, shaking, palpitations, confusion, anger, despair, a churning stomach, or sleepless nights these days.

We have finely tuned nervous systems, and for many of us, every headline and well-oiled distraction feels like emotional abuse.

We are not broken because we care.

We are not weak for needing to pause the news.

We don’t need to feel guilty for wanting to stay sane and centered during this chaotic time.

When the world is unraveling, cruelty becomes government policy, and kindness is endangered, we grieve and carry more than our share in our bodies.

That’s okay. We’re familiar with those feelings.

But there’s a difference between being present for the news and being pierced by it, and there’s difference between being aware and being undone by it.

If you feel pierced or undone, it’s not weakness. It’s a call. A lifesaving invitation to return to your breath, your body, and your tools for mental health.

What I’m Doing Now: Eight Healing Tools to Stay News-Informed Without Losing Myself

1. Conscious Grounding.

Before I open my phone or laptop, I sit with myself, pause, feel my feet rooted into the ground, inhale slowly for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale for six. Then, I place a comforting hand on my heart and belly, and whisper:

“I am anchored in peace. I choose what I let in. Only love and truth may enter my space. May I be informed, not inflamed. Open, but not overwhelmed. Soft, but not shattered.”

2. The Pink Bubble Technique.

I visualize a soft pink bubble of light surrounding me. This filter invites love toward me and prevents chaos from clinging to me. It reminds me that I can care without collapsing, and within the pink bubble, I say:

“I am wrapped in compassion. I carry my light into the darkness, but I don’t allow myself to become the darkness.”

 3. Chakra Support: Root and Heart Energy Centers.

The Root Chakra (base of the spine and soles of feet) keeps us grounded, and the Heart Chakra (center of the chest) helps us shift pain into love. As I envision red light massaging my root and emerald green bathing my heart, I breathe deeply and say:

“I am safe. I am strong. I am love.”

Love Note: I created a meaningful mini workshop on the root chakra of courage and a song for grounding and centering. When you have five minutes, hold a favorite rock or healing stone while you watch this powerful video: “How to Breathe in More Courage, Strength, and Stamina.”

4. Set Your Intention.

Before consuming media, I set an intention. “May I be a witness and a helper—not a sponge.”

 >> I also limit how long I read or watch the news.

 >> Light a candle, sip herbal tea, and hold a grounding rock.

 >> Avoid reading headlines late at night or first thing in the morning.

5. Aftercare for the Soul.

After reading the news, I touch the earth, shake out my body, stomp the ground, hum, chant, drum, cry, journal one sentence, and whisper:

“It’s okay to feel. It’s okay to rest.”

6. Self-Agency: Balancing and Shaping Your World.

Small action steps anchor me. I ask my higher self: “Is there something I can do today to make my life more balanced?”

Maybe I will sign a petition, join a protest, light a candle, write a song, call my representatives, attend a town meeting, or call a friend. Maybe I sit with a hurting soul. Every step brings back a sense of power, and it will for you, too.

We are not here to just absorb the world. We are here to help shape it.

7. Positive Affirmations to Rewire the Day.

Before reentering the world, I choose healing thoughts:

>> “I meet the world with love.”

>> “My softness is a form of strength.”

>> “I am tender, and I am protected.”

These aren’t just positive affirmations. They are armor for the soul.

8. Return to Your Spirit. Your Light. Your Home.

Come back to the you of you. You can stay informed without being broken, and if you feel broken, you’re not alone. I feel broken at times, too. Breathe. You’ll find your way home again.

You don’t need to numb your soul to be strong. You don’t have to shut down your compassionate empathy to survive these times.

Strength doesn’t come from armoring up. It comes from anchoring into your light, your breath, and your beauty.

Return to what helps you to stay human.

>> Return to your breath.

>> Return to your body.

>> Return to joy.

>> Return to gratitude.

>> Return to your creative projects and dreams.

>> Return to your vision of peace.

>> Return to spontaneous acts of kindness.

>> Return to love.

You can be sensitive and still be strong. You can stay informed and still be centered. You can care deeply without carrying it all alone. There are millions of quiet warriors like you and me. People who cry for strangers, create healing music, whisper prayers into the wind, and speak the language of compassion and light.

We’re not meant to carry the chaos alone. We’re here to carry it together. Don’t walk away from yourself. Walk toward your breath. Your mental health tools. Your beauty. Your boundaries. Your empathic heart.

I’d love to hear from you. What do you do to protect your spirit while still staying informed?

Let’s build a sanctuary in the Elephant Journal comments for everyone who feels deeply but keeps going anyway.

>> I give myself and you permission to be as soft as you feel and as shielded as you need.

>> I give myself and you permission to stay informed while staying spiritually intact.

>> I give myself and you permission to remain deeply compassionate and wisely protected. Keep feeling. Keep breathing. The world needs your tenderness.

“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” ~ Leonard Cohen

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