Even in the thick of hardship, there can be moments of joy. So how can journalists tap into this positive emotion while working through challenging times?
“When we're reporting on so much hard stuff, when it's our job to deliver bad news to the world every day, it can be really easy to want to pick the bad feelings and to sit in those bad feelings,” said Andee Tagle, associate producer and now-and-then host for NPR's Life Kit podcast. “But as we say in a bunch of different ways at Life Kit, the best way you can advocate for yourself, the best way that you can create change, is when your own cup is full. So it's important to choose those positive emotions.”
Reframe the way you perceive joy so that it fits into your daily routine
Tagle: I think it's as simple as a break or finding some levity, finding some peace. … People think it’s really a strong, elated emotion. You know, you have to be jumping up and down and there needs to be confetti.
But I think it's a lot smaller than that. ... It's just finding those moments of “that was a nice thing, I enjoyed that.” When you can sit back and have a little smile in a day, in a life, in a time that is really, really hard.
