How can I stop focusing on the bad things in life?

You don’t need to be positive all of the time, but a slight shift can help

It’s so easy to only focus on the bad– with a 24-hour news cycle sharing all that is going wrong in the world, or a social media feed that is constantly reminding us of what we are not doing or accomplishing, of course many of us have become primed to focus on the negative.

What makes it more complicated is that intuitively we understand that doom scrolling and social media isn’t great for our mental health, but how can we stop?

Well, maybe some fireflies can offer some insight.​

Why Japanese people like to go firefly watching

June 11 marks the beginning of the Japanese microseason (of which there are 72 seasons) kusaretaru kusa hotaru to naru (腐草為螢). It directly translates to “rotten grass becomes fireflies”.

It marks the brief period after spring has done a lot of its growing and shedding, when that flurry of activity has slowed down and is replaced with a bit of peace and quiet.

Because unlike the buzzing of bees or the constant croaking of frogs, have you ever noticed that despite the attention that they get, how quiet fireflies are? They’re silent little wonders.

During this time in Japan, you will see many ads to go “firefly sightseeing”. Like how one might go on a whale or dolphin watching trip, in the summertime people in Japan are encouraged to visit places that have many fireflies– they are a relatively popular sightseeing phenomenon.

You may wonder why fireflies are so popular in Japan. Most adults may not care, but ask any child and you will quickly understand: They evoke a sense of wonder.

What makes them glow? Where did it go? How many are out there?

We learn to observe them quietly, as they do their little dance in the dark.

I believe it’s important to lean into this curious, almost child-like mindset of ours. It allows us to see the world as a place of possibility and incredible phenomena, not chaos or destruction.

We find beauty, joy, and ultimately peace in this mindset– although nothing about the world is different, it feels completely different.

If you’ve been finding yourself doom scrolling the news, spending a bit too much time on social media, or otherwise spending too much time on a screen, try identifying something that sparks that sense of wonder in you — perhaps it’s a hobby you haven’t been making time for, an event you’ve been wanting to go to, or something as simple as watching a few fireflies.

Make time for wonder, because you never know what shifts in perspective you may uncover.

​Warm regards, Kaki

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