I Heard the News Today, Oh Boy!

Finding out this semester that the doom and gloom news about the world, their futures and potential job availability is weighing heavier on young people — in fact, all of us.

I like to think of times like this to embark on a Gratitude Tour — keying on something positive that we are grateful for and acknowledging it. I’m seeing pessimism for the first time among young people who should otherwise be looking forward to their future.

People need to hear that every generation has faced turbulence, but within turbulence lies opportunity. They are not powerless — they’re entering an age of reinvention. In a world drowning in bad news, a daily dose of gratitude can reset perspective and build resilience.

Fred Rogers had a way of finding light in dark news: *“*When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”