second year kyra posey

Reading the news has always been my unique therapy; staying informed about current events oddly soothed me, which made me feel like an informed citizen, doing her duty at an age where some might not prioritize such a simple activity. Recently, a casual scroll through the New York Times iPhone app has only increased my stress, though I continue this activity voluntarily. I have every opportunity to close the app when I read something horrific, and yet I continue: “Government shutdown is the longest in U.S. history;” “Each year, more environmental disasters occur;” “Another bombing killed four Americans last night.”

While better informed citizens only feel this increased worry at a greater capacity, and while it’s a privilege to even have the time to think about these external problems, the exhausting effect on my mind and body remains. Added on top of classwork, social pressures, and other responsibilities, we barely have time to check in with ourselves. We get so caught up in the happenings of daily life, yet we must keep our heads down and continue to work on what we consider our priorities despite how we feel. It’s difficult to care about a plethora of others when we are rightfully consumed with our own shit, while others are equally caught up with their own circle of responsibilities.

If you’ve ever had a busy day or a bad day, you know that you have very little time for anything besides your obligations or your own feelings. As minutes slip away, interactions with others become mandatory but unwanted; doing anything besides the task at hand feels like a waste of time. On bad days negative interactions sting a little more than usual, and on busy days they are simply irritating.

On the other hand, a positive interaction on a bad day might change your disposition, and a positive interaction on a busy day might encourage you to slow down, smile, and continue your frenzy with a changed perspective.

The Chapel Bell exists for these times; we write to let you slow down, to change your disposition, and to be there when you might need a new perspective. Whether it’s a story that makes you smile, or a witty sentence that makes you snicker, we are here to remind you that there are complete strangers who want to brighten your day.

If you have the privilege of keeping some sort of positivity alive in your interactions, I urge you to do so. And if you’re having one of those busy or bad days, keep your head up; you’ll get through this, and I promise that you’re doing better than you think. If people discourage you and assert that nobody needs your positive attitude, either directly or by not accepting your grace, continue to reach out to others: in a world filled with wrongdoing, environmental disasters, hatred for one another, and general despair, the only one who can remind us of hope are ourselves.

Why Positive Press Matters