A WOMAN'S VIEW

Dickson: What inspires us in 2024?

Oct 5, 2024, 11:00 AM | Updated: Oct 7, 2024, 12:46 pm

What inspires us in 2024?...

What inspires us in 2024? (Canva)

(Canva)

Editor’s note: This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom. 

SALT LAKE CITY — On this General Conference weekend for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I am thinking about what inspires us in 2024 and whether it’s changed in any appreciable way. So, I sat down for a one-on-one conversation with the President of Deseret Book Laurel Day.

“Our basic needs have not changed,” Day said. “What’s different now is the noise and the amount of noise. It’s so hard to shut out the world now.”

The truth of that statement made me pause.

“I think there is a deep need for peace and stillness in a way that there hasn’t been before,” she said. “For example, we’ve done a couple of books about stillness, helping people find stillness and calm in their lives. And it’s not there wasn’t a need for stillness 10 or 15 or 20 years ago, but I think there is something to be said for being reminded that we need to step back sometimes, step away from all of the chaos, even good chaos, and find stillness.”

24-hour media fast

This need for stillness reminds me of an assignment I give my students at the University of Utah. I teach a class there called Media and Society. Each semester, I ask the students to turn off all forms of media they control for 24 hours, and then write a piece on what they experience, how it affects them and what, if any, changes they might make to their media consumption going forward.

Many of the students struggle mightily with this assignment. They either break down and listen to a litte Spotify or watch a little YouTube or they describe real discomfort with sticking to the fast. Some of these students, who are mostly in their late teens and early 20s, express almost a fear of boredom, a fear of silence.

Dickson: Superfans are on to something

Being digital natives, having access to the Internet for the whole of their lives and social media from their formative years, they have never known a time when they were just… bored. Boredom was always solved immediately with some form of stimulus. To deny themselves that is anxiety producing.

And maybe that’s the problem.

“I don’t think we realize how much we are bombarded,” Day said. “Between news and social media and life in general, there is just so much.”

Our brains are not wired for this

I’ve read medical experts comment that our brains were just not wired to take in as much information as we now do on a daily, even hourly, basis.

And I’m sure when Steve Jobs created the iPhone, as prescient as he was, he did not foresee the entire globe walking around with their face buried in their phones. He couldn’t have thought we’d stop talking to each other in person, stop reading and watching and listening for even a minute so we could just be. He never predicted that this constant access to information would prompt anxiety, especially in young people.

Defined by productivity

My generation (Baby Boomers) were raised on productivity. You were judged by what you produced. Your grades, your accomplishments, your work ethic, your earning — these were the (unfortunate?) measurements of worth.

Day can relate.

“I don’t know who I am if I’m not doing,” she said. “Even sometimes when I’m doing, I can feel unproductive if what I’m doing isn’t connected to some result. That is a scary space to be in when you realize your value or worth starts to get tied up with results and output. I worry we don’t let ourselves have enough stillness and calm without feeling guilty.”

Dickson: What it’s like to serve on a jury

This was the first time I thought of stillness as something I not only need — but deserve.

“I’ve had to work hard to give myself permission to rest, meditate, pray, be still,” Day said, “because it’s not my natural state of feeling comfortable. My natural state of feeling comfortable is to be productive.”

Mine too.

So, on this day, with the sun pouring through my window, I give myself permission to breathe. To be still. To be inspired. With no need for further judgment or accomplishment.

My hope is that you can give yourself the same.

Amanda Dickson is the co-host of Utah’s Morning News and A Woman’s View on KSL NewsRadio. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram. 

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

A Woman's View

Is college worth it? That's the question Amanda Dickson asked her guests on KSL NewsRadio's 'A Woma...

Emma Keddington

A Woman’s View: Is college worth it anymore?

KSL NewsRadio's Amanda Dickson asked three guests whether or not it's worth it to get a college degree on her podcast "A Woman's View."

4 months ago

'A Woman's View' host Amanda Dickson poses with a giant Pikachu at FanX....

Amanda Dickson

Dickson: Superfans are on to something

FanX is happening from Sept. 26 to Sept. 28 and KSL NewsRadio's 'A Woman's View' host has some opinions of the event's superfans.

4 months ago

Sponsored Articles

Full speed through the snow. A man on skis is pulled by his through the snow at full gallop Skijori...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get ready for an unforgettable skijoring adventure in Bear Lake!

“Skijoring the Bear” takes place this year on February 21-22 in Garden City, Utah.

the bedroom in a geodesic dome shows the night sky...

Clear Sky Resorts Bryce Canyon

Your front row to an extraordinary cosmos show

As America's first glass dome stargazing resort, Clear Sky Resorts Bryce Canyon is one of the world’s most unique and spectacular places to stay.

2 people huddled up in a blanket and warm clothes sipping hot chocolate...

Bear Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau

The best ways to spend your Christmas vacation in Bear Lake

If you're dreaming of a white Christmas this year, Bear Lake should definitely be on your radar. Read this guide for more!

big crowd of people under holiday lights in an outdoor market...

Western Nut

Our favorite family Christmas activities in Utah

We gathered up a list of our favorite activities, movies, and treats to try this holiday season that the whole family can enjoy.

an IT tech looks at a laptop in front of a server network...

Comcast Business

Tips to protect yourself from phishing attacks

Check out this resource from Comcast Business to learn more about phishing attacks and how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of one.

A surprise gift, wrapped and ready to bring holiday cheer! Whether for Christmas, a birthday, or an...

Western Nut

10 Holiday Gift Ideas to cover everyone on your list

This guide is for you if you need holiday gift ideas that will make a lasting impression. 

Dickson: What inspires us in 2024?