The global news has become a daily mind-numbing litany of endless tragedies, real, yes, in one sense, but surreal in another, particularly when events are not close to home. We feel tremendous empathy for unfortunate victims of senseless violence, so many of them simply in the wrong place, peripherally or directly in the path of those whole sole existence is predicated on perpetuating such tragedies. This is the world we live in today.

News not made any more palatable when delivered by Barbie and Ken doll look-alike-pretty newscasters in the United States media industry or seemingly deliberately dulled down-and-dowdy newscasters in the UK (with other global station announcers somewhere in between), each major news station strives to be first with the worst. Note that war correspondents are not included in the former group ? when you?re being shot at, riding in vehicles vulnerable to landmines, kidnappers, and portable rocket launchers as well as witnessing horrific diseases and malnutrition, worries about Shiny Lip Gloss or hair goo vaporise.

I guess that even if the powers-that-be in the televised media aspired to presenting information on a purely factual professional level, the marketing media and the corporate conglomerates backing such a move, would shudder. It is, after all, about the ratings and market share delivered to its advertisers? No one wants to be the broadcaster who is last to deliver the worst. Yet, publicly lamented and recorded by Nielsen rating services, total viewer participation in major network programming has decreased consistently for several years.

Slipping away to other electronic competition who, while having plenty of bad news reports of their own, has also tried other methods to reach and retain their audience: reality shows, survival shows, fear (and gross bug eating) shows, inspirational shows, historical and nature oriented sagas. While even some of these offerings are vacuous beyond belief, some involve real people taking on real challenges and displaying, we hope, real emotions. There are century stars, even in major media, such as the magical persona of Oprah, who carries a personal aura (perhaps even a halo) while touching more people with messages of hope, caring, literacy and the power to change one?s life, than any other media mogul today.

Could it be that we absorb bad news then turn away because we feel powerless to affect lives seen from so far away? Could it be that people need positive news, too? How can you make personal changes, then community changes, then global changes, if you don?t know what constitutes positive empowerment? Perhaps every daily dose of negativity should be countered by committing a positive act, however small it may seem.

?Unstoppable? by Cynthia Kersey is a powerful book of stories of personal tragedy and triumph in the face of great adversity.

Purpose ignites the spirit

In 1958, at the age of 16, Legson Kayira took a five-day supply of food, his Bible and The Pilgrim?s Progress and set out to walk from his village in Nyasaland (now Malawi) to Khartoum, Sudan, 3,200 kilometres way and on to America. He was illiterate, penniless; he didn?t know even where America was, but he wanted to serve mankind, and he needed an education. A two year journey later, he reached US shores. Thirteen long years of work, he graduated from university. The stuff of legends after almost 50 years he has a doctorate in political science and is the author of several books, teaching and lecturing to the world on both continents.

Passion fuels inexhaustible energy

Tom Monaghan grew up in an orphanage; was in and out of detention centres most of his young life. Against terrible odds, working 18 hour days for years, he built up a pizza business. Twice on the brink of total failure and bankruptcy court, he battled his way back, even paying off the debts of a former partner. He became the man who went from rolling dough to rolling in dough. Domino?s has become the largest home delivery pizza business in the world. All the bad times were just setbacks, he said, ?I knew I was not a failure because I never stopped trying.?

Belief sustains the journey.

Imagine what the world would have missed if those below had taken these disparaging comments to heart.

?You can?t play the piano and God knows you can?t sing. You?d better learn to weave chairs so you can support yourself?. A comment by Ray Charles?s teachers.

?You have a nice voice, but it?s nothing special?, said a teacher after Diana Ross was rejected for a part in a high school musical.

?How long will you go on training in a gymnasium and living in a dream world?? ? Arnold Schwarzenegger?s parents and family pleas for him to get a real job.

If at first you don?t succeed, try, try again

Maxcy Filer took the California bar exam 47 times before he finally passed. At that time he was 61 years old. Why would he want to do that?

?Because I could not possibly quit, I don?t quit, and I was not going to give up?, he said, with great relish.

Absorb the sad and negative events, then put them away (for the time being) and focus on what you can do as an individual ? to improve yourself and your community. Elevate your attitude and you raise your respect quotient in society. Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others have no choice but to believe with you.

When you effect positive change in yourself, you effect change in everyone around you. You become a personal and social success.

@EDITRULE:

Martha Harris Myron CPA/PFS CFP? is a Bermudian, and VP, Investment Centre, Bank of Bermuda member HSBC Group, providing investment advisory services and financial planning. She can be reached at 299-5578, or confidential email can be directed to marthamyronnorthrock.bm

The article expresses the opinion of the author alone, and not necessarily that of Bank of Bermuda member HSBC Group. Under no circumstances is the content of this article to be taken as specific individual investment advice, nor as a recommendation to buy or sell investment products, nor as a promotion for financial plans.