There’s this feeling many people share that, if you want to follow the news, you’ll end up feeling tortured.

It’s true that world news these days is heavy; most big stories right now are truly matters of life and death. It can be a lot to process, and it’s tempting to avoid the news altogether in an effort to protect your peace.

But! We’re not wussies around here; we can face reality. Listen, I’m all for inner peace, but I’m also all for informing yourself. 

It’s critical now, more than ever, to be plugged into current events. With the inundation of information, it’s easy to fall into ideological traps, but not if you know what to look for!

So in the vein of new year, new goals, in 2026, I propose this: Let’s be hot and smart… and calm.

If there’s something I want you to know about the news after spending 15 years working in media (plus 10 in the digital space), it’s this: Being informed doesn’t require suffering if you approach the process with intention.

This is a great time to mention that this whole philosophy is why I launched News for Normies as a regular series on this Substack. It’s three big stories every Monday, with context and no bias, delivered right to your inbox.

But beyond that small offering, I want to also give you some tips today on being a calm news consumer and remind you that it is possible to feel both mentally stable and know what’s happening in the world.

So after forwarding my News for Normies posts to all your friends to get them on the healthy news bandwagon 😆, come back here, and I’ll share with you some tips on keeping your cool and being in the news loop.

Here’s exactly what I’d tell someone who wants to understand the news and stay sane in 2026.

There are more news “sources” than ever, and that doesn’t mean every single one is a reporter.

I’ve talked about this before, but just because someone says something with enough conviction on social media doesn’t mean it’s true or well-sourced; and more often than not, the person delivering the information isn’t a reporter, and hasn’t had a background in journalism.

I say this without a shred of judgment, even as a former “mainstream” journalist. I’m not crapping on creators who report the news; I think it’s wonderful to see new voices in the space who are passionate about current events and politics.

What I mean, though, when I say they’re not reporters, is that they’re aggregators, taking information from on-the-ground reporters who have actually spoken to the source.

Let’s cover some basic ground first.

A source in a story is the person or people on the ground—a witness (someone who lived the experience), an expert (a police officer, official of some sort, or other expert with knowledge of the story), someone with firsthand knowledge of the event, or someone with experience in the broader field.

A reporter is the person/people on the ground, talking to sources.

A creator or aggregator is someone who’s usually not at the news event itself, taking the information from said reporters and aggregating it into a video, post, etc.

Lots of creators on social media are aggregators, myself included. (Though if I’m interviewing the person him/herself and am sharing the info, it’s back to reporter mode.)

In an ideal world, when a reporter is covering a controversial or political story, they’re also asking questions from “the other side,” forcing the person they’re interviewing to acknowledge the opposing perspective. This is less true for event-style reporting (for example, covering a natural disaster or emergency situation) when there isn’t another POV to represent. In that case, it’s all facts, verified by officials.

This distinction is important to understand when you’re consuming political coverage online. Often, opposing POV’s or contextual information is missing in shorter-form videos and commentary.

In an ideal world, creators focused on political news should earnestly address and acknowledge the opposing point of view in the story.

So here are some tips, if you’re getting your news from creators:

• Take note of what sources or reporters they’re citing, ie. the original publication. 
• Is the sources left- or right-leaning? 
• Did the original reporting include perspective from “the other side?”

For example, on News for Normies, we’ve been following the Venezuela/Trump story.

Prior to the abduction of Maduro this past weekend, coverage on this story in the New York Times (left-leaning) was mainly focused on the pushback against the drug boat strikes and concerns about their legality, while Fox News (right-leaning) focused on justifying Trump’s actions.

Paying attention to how outlets or creators cover events over time—and seeing if they’re willing to publish content from both perspectives—will help you more fully understand multiple aspects of a story.

Watch for opinion journalism masquerading as fact.

The angrier the creator, the more you need to fact check them. (And yes, angry creators can still be factually correct… just always do your own research on a story. And remember: Go to the “other side source” for the opposing opinion.)

Your daily news newsletter (likely) has a slant.

Millennial news newsletters like The Newsette, The Skimm, even Katie Couric’s newsletter are all, in my opinion, heavily left-leaning.

As for right-leaning newsletters, there’s Newsmax, The Daily Wire, and The Morning Dispatch.

The ones that are doing truly balanced journalism? I’ll always recommend Mo News and Smarther News.

Just know what you’re signing up for when you click subscribe to any newsletter.

Also, I’m aware that there are a ton more options for news newsletters these days, so this is by no means a comprehensive list. If you subscribe to one you love, drop it in Comments below!

You can unplug at any time.

This may be the most important tip of all!

I always hear people complain all the time about how biased media is, and that complaint isn’t wrong! It’s a tough time to be a person who’s genuinely curious about what’s happening in the world.

But when you’re feeling overstimulated and finding yourself feeling emotional while scrolling, remember this: You are in control.

Put down the phone.

The antidote to rage is reality.

Talk to real, live people. It’s even better if you talk to real, live people who disagree with you. Be polite to them. Ask questions, share your own thoughts, and walk away proud that the internet didn’t destroy your ability to communicate with humans.

You can be informed and still be sane. Hey, I worked in news for 15 years and managed to walk away relatively unscathed. (Though the sound of a helicopter overhead still does a number on my nervous system.)

I hope some of this helps!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you like to keep up on current events. Feel free to comment below and let me know.

See you soon!