On Collective Narratives and How Shifting Focus to Solutions and the Positive Aspects of Life Can Transform the Collective Culture's Mindset
In the same way that living beings grow when nurtured and given the attention we need, everything we focus on in our lives grows as well. The thoughts, narratives, beliefs, emotions, and habits we invest our time in become the seeds we plant in the soil of our minds and lives. Just as a garden flourishes with care and intention, our lives unfold according to what we choose to cultivate—whether joy, gratitude, or fear and pessimism. It is our choice what seeds we wish to sow, and it is up to us to nourish them with consistent attention and with intention.
This is perennial wisdom passed down through universal laws such as the Law of Attraction, the Law of Intention, and the Law of Cause and Effect (karma) that the eight limbs of yoga help us to stay align with. These laws govern not only the workings of the individual mind but also the broader landscape of human society, culture, and the world we are shaping. As our global connectivity increases, so does the power of our collective focus.
In today’s age, where information, ideas, and narratives spread with high speed, the seeds we plant in our individual lives extend far beyond our immediate surroundings. They take root in the collective consciousness, influencing the evolving culture, the direction of our societies, and the interconnected world we are creating together.
Coming from that understanding, we can recognize how the curated nature of broadcast news, which only presents a partial view of life that often neglects the myriad of positive events and everyday achievements that occur globally, is expanding more of those bad news in our collective culture. This selective representation has lead to a distorted worldview, stimulating feelings of helplessness and anxiety. That approach not only impacts individual mental health but influences collective societal attitudes, promoting a sense of fear and disconnection.
News consumption is processed by the limbic system—the part of our brain that governs emotional responses. This system is especially attuned to stimuli that provoke strong emotions like fear, anger, and joy, an instinct developed due to our evolutionary need for swift action in the face of threats. When early humans encountered danger, the limbic system would trigger an immediate fear response, prompting either fight or flight. This rapid reaction, governed by the amygdala, ensured survival. Emotional memories from these experiences helped individuals avoid similar threats in the future, reinforcing behaviors that prioritized safety.
As a communications and journalism student I learned that to attract higher ratings, the media curates content that amplifies emotional triggers, focusing on negative events and sensational stories. This emphasis on the alarming and distressing skews the audience's perception of reality and taps into their survival instincts, resulting in imbalance.
Good news is that the limbic system also responds to joy, love, trust, and belonging—and other emotions that have always been crucial for forming alliances and strengthening community bonds. The release of dopamine during joyful experiences encourages individuals to engage in cooperative behaviors, enhancing group solidarity and teamwork. These emotional feedback loops support survival in a healthier way by building the social networks necessary for protection, support, and resources.
Focusing on good news offer substantial psychological benefits. Positive stories activate neural pathways that foster feelings of hope and resilience, encourage pro-social behavior, improve emotional regulation, elevate mood, and enhance overall well-being. This shift in focus aligns with emotional intelligence, which emphasizes awareness and management of our emotional responses.
By choosing to engage with and share positive news, we help reshape the narratives that affect both individual and societal mental health. This practice not only helps balance our media landscape from the negativity bias, but also cultivates a more holistic understanding of the human experience—recognizes the coexistence of challenges and triumphs.
In doing so, we cultivate more empowering traits like resilience and empathy, and engage in more constructive harmonious discourses within our world community.
With the interconnectedness of modern life, our choices matter in ways that transcend the personal. We are all gardeners now, responsible not only for what we cultivate in our own minds and hearts but also for the world we help shape. Every thought, every choice, every intention is a seed in the garden of our future—a garden that will grow according to the energy and focus we invest in it.
Namaste 🙏💖,
Inda
