You may not know it but there is a hidden cost to negative news. Just three minutes of negative news in the morning makes you 27% more likely to describe your day as unhappy or depressing, according to a Harvard Business Review report.

Psychologists Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan found that even a brief dose of bleak headlines can cast a shadow over your work ethic—slowing productivity and dimming both individual and organizational goals.

Negative news often emphasizes global problems beyond our control. That sense of “learned helplessness” saps motivation, lowers performance, and raises the risk of depression.

What we need is a shift toward solution-focused stories. Rather than replaying problems, seek out stories of resilience and achievement that remind you that your actions matter. Solution-focused news:

•        Reinforces the belief that individuals can make a difference

•        Sparks a proactive attitude toward challenges

•        Cultivates the optimism proven to be the greatest predictor of success, since it trains the brain            to spot possibilities where others see barriers

•        For the believer, the best morning ritual doesn’t start with the TV or a scrolling newsfeed.            Instead:

•        Open your Bible and meditate on Scripture

•        Listen to worship music or an uplifting teaching

•        Journal a prayer of gratitude or a declaration of faith

Trust that any truly urgent updates will find you. The rest of the noise can be set aside.

Combat the “Negative News Syndrome” by filling your mind with the empowering reality of God’s Word. As Colossians 3:2 reminds us: “Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth,”.

Let this verse guide your morning routine and watch how a foundation of faith transforms worry  into wonder.