Making Space for Good News Builds Everyday Resilience

Ordinary Gatherings, Extraordinary Impact

Not long ago, a friend nudged me toward a “Good News” event in Cincinnati. It was just a simple gathering at the Chamber of Commerce, but it turned out to be memorable for all the right reasons. People from down the street and across town took turns sharing what’s working in Cincinnati: the brewing history that still draws a crowd for Oktoberfest, riverboats lining up for a major event down at the riverfront, and even a big actors’ conference coming to the city for the very first time in the U.S. There were stories about where our city’s been and where it’s going, all peppered with a sense of local pride. One participant reminisced about paddleboats coming in from Memphis and New Orleans, and there was a mention of Cincinnati’s surprising connection to the Clooney family—details that would otherwise just slip by in the noise of a busy week.

It struck me how brief the whole event was—just a half hour, and the mood in the room felt completely different than it would after a morning spent scrolling headlines. In those few stories, folks managed to pull each other a little higher, away from the grind of negative news cycles. Noticing the things that are uplifting can carry a bit of the weight for you. Giving space to good news, at work, at home, or anywhere, makes steadying yourself against life’s turbulence a little easier.

Choosing What Deserves Our Focus

Bad news is sticky, and it’s easy to spiral if you aren’t careful. I’ve seen plenty of meetings or family dinners shift into complaint mode before anyone realizes it. But even just acknowledging highlights—a baby born, a colleague moving on to a dream position, a team hitting a quiet milestone—opens new energy and perspective. Brandon pointed out that happiness studies and entire college courses emphasize gratitude’s impact. He mentioned the simple tool of writing down three things you’re grateful for each night. Gratitude stretches your frame of reference, so challenges don’t fill up your whole horizon.

We dug into the “man in the arena” from Teddy Roosevelt—a reminder that it’s easy to stand back and criticize, but it’s far more meaningful to be devoted, to step forward, and to take action. Whether that's toward family, faith, or business, it keeps your focus in a healthier place and puts daylight between you and those endless cycles of critique or doom scrolling.

Habits That Nurture a Resilient Mindset

Building this sort of positive momentum is all about everyday choices:

• Take a look at your circle. The people or media you surround yourself with shape your default viewpoint. If there’s no room for sharing good news, or if it's always shot down, that’s a cue for change.

• Practice the virtues: consistency, ease, promptitude, and joy. These show up in how you respond to requests at home, decisions in business, and even the chores you don’t feel like doing. Over time, acting with promptitude (responding quickly and willingly) and finding ease and joy in the right actions makes these habits automatic.

• Make gratitude part of your routine. Jot down good things at the end of every day, mention small wins in your team meetings, or pause together as a family to recognize small successes.

Offering good news, even gently, is a signal. You’ll quickly see who reciprocates and who recoils. This is a natural way to find or widen your community, bringing in those who are willing to celebrate what’s going right, large or small.

Make Good News Your New Habit

Shifting your focus to celebrate what’s working isn’t about ignoring reality but more about meeting it from a steadier, more resilient place. Try making good news and gratitude regular fixtures in your day. Over time, this habit will not just lift the mood; it builds the kind of inner strength that helps you, your team, and your family weather what comes next.