“Pivoting isn’t plan B; it’s part of the process.” — Jeff Goins
Right now, there’s a great deal of division in our communities. It’s not new; it’s been happening for years. Between politics, a pandemic, and the economy, way too many people are finger-pointing, name-calling, and otherwise behaving like spoiled toddlers fighting over a toy.
Some have chosen to “go dark” and not read or watch the news, not engage on social media sites, and otherwise skirt the issues we are all facing. I’m not sure that’s a good idea, but I’ve been doing it too, so who am I to talk to? I haven’t watched as much news, which is entirely unlike me. Tuning out began with a total news blackout, but that didn’t last long. I’ve always been a news junkie; anyone who knows me will tell you I can be nosier than Gladys Kravitz on crack. My friends who have noticed this change say, “What’s happened to you?” Life happened, just like it does for all of us.
Someone recently told me, “How about you poke your head out of that hole it’s in and look around?” Ok, seeing as Groundhog Day was this week, poking my head out of the dark hole it’s been stuck down is very on-trend. But even Punxsutawney Phil came out of his hole, looked around, and said, “Yup, still cold and dark, and it’s going to stay that way.” Can you blame anyone for wanting to go right back into that darkness and shut it all out? However, I’m realizing that going dark, turning off the flow of information, and watching Perry Mason reruns instead isn’t the best way forward. I think I just need to be a little pickier about what I expose myself to, what I listen to, read, and watch.
It’s long overdue.
When we disengage, we stay ignorant. I know, people see me use that word and think, “She’s calling us stupid.” No, dear readers, I am not. Among other connotations and meanings in the dictionary, ignorant means “lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about a particular thing.” For instance, I am ignorant about fantasy sports. I know they exist, and that’s it. Fortunately, to better understand the world around me, knowing more about fantasy sports isn’t required. On more important matters, however? Ignorance keeps us from growing, from learning, and from moving on. Is that what we want, or, more importantly, what will serve us best?
While my recent strategy has been to close it all out, moving forward, I will keep Jeff Goins’ quote in mind and be a bit like Ross on “Friends.” In my head, I’m hollering, “Pivot! PIVOT!” There will still be content that makes me want to punch a hole in the nearest wall, but at least it will be a marker to show me where I don’t want to go and maybe even inform me on how to get to a place I do want to go.
Ross and the gang never did get that couch up the stairs; they had to saw it in half, ruining it. Moving that couch was a major fail, but only because they didn’t change course early enough. We can always correct our course, but it won’t do much good without knowing where we have been and where we want to go. There is always a nugget or two of good information, even from people and sources that are difficult to experience. The key is knowing how to find them and how to use them.
It’s time for me to come out of my self-imposed news embargo and see if there’s anything I can learn. Wish me luck.
Brenda Kelley Kim has lived in Marblehead for 50 years and is an author, freelance writer, and mother of three. Her column appears weekly.