You will always find what you’re looking for

Did you know there is a doomsday clock?

The clock was created in 1947 as a way to convey the urgency of maintaining control of recently invented nuclear armaments. In more recent times, the clock has become a metaphor for the state of the world at large. It now encompasses things like climate change and geopolitical affairs.

The clock is periodically updated to reflect how close we are to midnight, the theoretical unraveling of our world.

The apocalyptic timepiece was updated in 2023 to show a time of 90 seconds to midnight, the closest mankind has ever been to midnight.

The whole thing is a bit laughable to me. It seems like some sort of parody.

I keep picturing the epic film “Threat Level Midnight,” written by Michael Scott in the comedy The Office.

Don’t get me wrong, the world is a mess right now.

But, here’s the thing: The world has always been a mess.

Do you think people who lived through World War 2, The Great Depression, or the Civil War thought they were living in good times?

Of course not. They likely thought, as most generations have, that their time was the worst the world had seen.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

Charles Dickens

You get to choose whether you live your life in the best of times or the worst of times because it depends solely on your perspective.

Of course, it’s easier now more than ever to focus on the constant barrage of negativity dripping through our pixellated screens.

But you can control your focus. You can choose positivity.

You will always find what you are looking for.

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There is Always a Clock

The world is always either a complete mess or at risk of becoming one. It has been that way for eons.

The clock is always ticking.

Personal and global calamity is only a heartbeat away.

What if you lived a great life anyway? If you stopped buying into the manufactured paranoia of the next catastrophe?

How much happier, healthier, and more productive would you be?

There are great benefits to tuning out the noise, ignoring the clock, and living up to your calling.

Let’s take a look at some strategies to help you get there.

Garbage In, Garbage Out

If you focus on the news too much, you may begin to believe the world is in a shambles. There is always a crisis happening somewhere.

The 24-hour news cycle has combined with an explosion of digital media news platforms to ensure the reporting of every single crisis, mishap, and potential conflict.

But it was not always so.

When I was a kid, the news was a summary of key events, nationally and locally. Journalism was not used to manufacture fear and unrest.

Guess what?

People still lived normal lives.

Of course, it’s good to be informed. But it’s terrible for your mental health to be overwhelmed with negativity.

So, let’s replace some of the mental garbage with positive thoughts, entertainment, and educational information.

Taking a similar approach to your body may also help.

What garbage are you feeding it? If you are regularly drinking to excess, overeating, or eating the typical unhealthy diet of the modern world, you are more likely to feel worse, which can feed a negative attitude.

If you are a Christian like me, practicing your faith can also reap positive rewards.

Knowing I belong to a God who will seek me out and save me even at great expense helps me to find my worth in Him. Connecting with Him daily keeps my mindset right to keep a positive frame of mind.

Practice Gratitude

There is always something to be grateful for. Don’t believe me?

I don’t know your situation, but I feel safe in making this assumption about you. You are blessed.

Of course, you have struggles, but you are blessed.

The sun came up today.

You have air to breathe.

If you are reading this, you aren’t a part of the 37% of the world without internet access. According to the UN, 2.9 Billion people in the world still don’t have access to the internet.

37% of the world can only dream of something most of us complain about if it takes an extra 2.5 seconds for a website to load.

Still don’t think you’re blessed?

Be grateful for the positives in your life, even if they seem small to you.

Move Your Body

Exercise is another great way to keep yourself positively focused. It keeps you busy and strengthens so many aspects of your life. The benefits of exercise increase if you incorporate nature into your workouts.

Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.

National Institutes of Health

Conclusion

Maybe the doomsday clock is right. Maybe hard times are coming. If so, then the best way to prepare for them is to work now to improve yourself.

The worst possible way to prepare for a doomsday scenario is to sit around and focus on how bad things may get, paralyzed by fear.

Let’s all get to work and prepare for whatever comes our way!