Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the upsetting events happening in the world, wondering how to protect your own energy amidst it all? Our brain processes negative news and positive news differently, influencing not just our mental state but also our body's physiological responses including our health.
In this enlightening IQ episode, Brandy dives deep into a listener's question: Should we tune into global news and potentially distressing events during our healing journey, or does turning away equate to spiritual bypassing?
Brandy offers scientifically-backed insights that shine a light on the balance between staying informed versus prioritizing healing and well-being.
Brandy discusses how shifting your own energy can contribute to a global change in consciousness and shares empowering insights into taking in information in a healthy way without succumbing to fear or getting stuck in negativity or sacrificing awareness of the world around you.
Don't miss out on these valuable takeaways—tune in now and discover how to heal while staying connected!
Topics: current events, upsetting times, compassion, healing
Do you have questions about self-healing? Do you want to know how self-healing works? If so you can simply reach out to us at [email protected]
Watch Brandy's TEDx Talk on mind-body healing: https://brandygillmore.com/tedx
If you have found yourself asking any of these questions such as:
Welcome to Heal Yourself, Change Your Life. My name is Brandy Gillmore. And after recovering from my own life-changing injury, it’s become my mission to share with others the same discoveries I made that changed my health and my entire life. Our minds are truly incredible. The placebo is proof of this.
Each week, I will take this simple awareness to a whole new level. I will even coach live callers to free themselves of physical pain using only their mind. And then I’ll provide you with a combination of practical and spiritual insights that you can use to master your mind, your emotions, and your energy — to help you heal your health, yourself, and your life.
Let’s begin.
Hello, and welcome to this week’s Quick IQ Episode, where we talk about insights and questions. Today we have a truly great question from a listener about processing upsetting things in the world — whether to avoid them, how to deal with them, and how to protect your own energy while staying compassionate.
Her message reads:
“Hi Brandy and team. I wanted to see if you could help shed some light on the following questions. When something upsetting happens in the world, it can trigger either a desire to ignore the issue to protect oneself, or it can trigger feelings of sympathy, sadness, and anger, which can really bring one’s energy down.
Could you please offer an example of a more positive emotional response to world suffering? And since everyone mostly creates their reality through their own energy, would external help fail to help them? Would it fail in helping to create lasting change?”
These are such thoughtful and important questions. And truly, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer — because everyone is in a different place in their healing journey.
During my injury, for example, when I was working to recover and heal myself, I would have completely avoided negative news or upsetting events — because I needed to. And I’ll explain why. But today, for me to navigate my life, I do need to know what’s going on in the world. It would be like trying to drive with my eyes closed if I didn’t.
The difference between those two times in my life comes down to emotional readiness and energetic stability.
Let’s look at it this way: if someone asked, “Is swimming good for you?” The answer depends. If you have a large open wound, it’s not a great idea. Similarly, if you’re emotionally wounded — overwhelmed, fearful, or deeply stressed — exposing yourself to negativity will only deepen that wound.
During my injury, I was in a dark place. I felt fear, frustration, and despair. I didn’t know if healing was even possible. So, watching the news or focusing on global suffering would not have helped my healing — in fact, it would have made things worse.
Now, some people might call that “spiritual bypassing” or “putting your head in the sand.” But those are just opinions — not data. When we look at the science, it’s clear that emotions like grief, anger, and fear can slow healing by reducing cell proliferation — the process your body uses to repair itself. These emotions can even slow recovery from surgery or injury.
So if you’re healing and something stirs strong negative emotions — fear, anger, sadness — it’s not only okay to step back, it’s healthy. You’re protecting your energy so your body can repair and thrive. You can always come back to processing those issues later when you’re stronger.
Another key piece to understand is how much emotions influence what we see and experience. Emotions shape our consciousness.
Think about it: when someone’s deeply in love, they see all the beauty in their partner. But when they’re angry, they only see flaws. Our emotions filter our perception of reality. So, if someone is living in a state of fear, they’ll continue to see more fear — one upsetting thing after another. This is why shifting emotional states is so powerful. It literally shifts your experience of life.
That’s part of what I teach in my classes and workshops — how to genuinely reprogram the subconscious mind and raise consciousness to create healing. It’s not about denial; it’s about creating a new inner environment that supports transformation.
During my injury, I didn’t watch the news or anything negative on TV. I focused entirely on protecting my mind and learning how to change it. The methods I used to heal myself were counterintuitive — very different from what most people do. But that’s exactly why they worked.
For example, one of my subconscious patterns was fear — and during my injury, that fear was magnified. I had to reprogram my mind to believe I was safe, even when nothing about my circumstances seemed safe. That shift in inner state helped my body begin to heal.
It’s not easy — it’s opposite of what our instincts tell us. But if we want new results, we can’t keep doing what everyone else does. Healing requires thinking differently, acting differently, and most importantly, feeling differently.
Now, fast forward to today. For me, not knowing what’s going on in the world would feel unsafe — because I work with people all over the world. Awareness helps me stay compassionate, informed, and connected. But I’ve built the inner strength to handle it from a balanced, empowered space.
If you’re in that place — strong, grounded, and balanced — then it can be healthy to stay aware of what’s going on, as long as you process it from love, compassion, and empowerment rather than fear or despair.
If you’re in a more fragile place — overwhelmed, anxious, or healing — it’s okay to step back and focus inward. Protect your mind until you can handle that awareness without it pulling you down. It’s not avoidance; it’s wisdom.
If you are paying attention to world events, here are two key reminders to help you stay energetically balanced:
When you see something painful in the world, let your response come from genuine compassion, not from cold detachment or “it’s just energy.” Feel your empathy, care deeply, but don’t sink into despair. Compassion is active — it uplifts you and inspires constructive energy, while despair drains you.
Even when the world feels heavy, give yourself permission to still feel joy, love, and gratitude. Being happy doesn’t mean you’re ignoring suffering — it means you’re helping raise the collective vibration. You’re contributing to healing by embodying peace instead of fear.
Let’s take this one step further — because what’s happening in the world right now is really a reflection of our collective energy. When something painful or unjust occurs, it’s easy for everyone’s energy to drop into fear or anger. But that doesn’t create healing or change. Real transformation begins when we lift our consciousness and embody a higher state of being.
Think of the story of Roger Bannister, the man who first ran a mile in under four minutes. Before that, it was thought to be impossible. But once he did it, it changed what everyone believed was possible — and then many others achieved it too. His accomplishment didn’t just break a record; it broke a belief barrier. It created a shift in consciousness.
The same principle applies here. Every time one of us chooses compassion over fear, or love over judgment, we contribute to that global shift. We help redefine what’s possible — not just for ourselves, but for humanity.
All the time, people watch my work and realize, “Wow, we really can release pain and heal with our minds.” That awareness sparks hope — and when people see others do it, they’re inspired to do it too. It’s the same energy as the four-minute mile: once we know something is possible, we can train ourselves to achieve it.
Now, of course, that doesn’t mean it happens instantly or magically. Just like running a mile that fast takes training, learning to heal and master your mind takes practice. But the potential exists within all of us.
Another example of how consciousness shapes reality comes from studies on patterns of abuse. Data shows that nearly 80% of people who were abused as children experience abuse again as adults. It’s heartbreaking — and yet it reveals something crucial. It’s not because they deserve it or are “unlucky.” It’s because those emotional patterns often remain unhealed in the subconscious mind and continue to attract similar dynamics.
When we heal our patterns — fear, unworthiness, guilt, grief — we break those cycles. We stop repeating them in our own lives, and we help stop them in the world around us. This is why healing is not selfish — it’s world-changing.
If you’re already in a balanced, grounded place, paying attention to what’s happening in the world can actually be an opportunity for growth and deeper connection — as long as you stay conscious about how you process it.
Here’s how to do that in a healthy way:
When you do this, you take in information consciously — in a way that expands your compassion rather than drains your energy. That’s how we grow stronger, kinder, and more united.
At the end of the day, people have many opinions about whether it’s right to “avoid negativity” or “face it head-on.” But what really matters is data and results.
Science shows that fear, anger, and stress slow down healing. They reduce cell regeneration and accelerate aging. Meanwhile, love, gratitude, and optimism support healing and longevity. So if we keep it simple, we can see that the key is always to return to a state of love and empowerment.
The more each of us lives from that energy, the more we help shift the world toward peace and health. The ripple effect is real — our individual healing creates global healing.
So as you reflect on today’s insights, ask yourself what applies most to you right now. Do you need to protect your energy and focus on your own healing? Or are you ready to hold compassion and awareness from a stronger place? Either way, honor where you are.
And as always, please take a moment to share this episode — with someone you love, someone you care about, or even someone you don’t know personally. Because the more each of us feels empowered, happy, and loving, the more we uplift the world together.
Please do make a point to create a wonderful, fantastic, uplifting rest of your day. Keep your heart open, your energy high, and your mind focused on love and possibility. And I look forward to connecting with you on the next episode. We’ll see you there.
Thank you for listening to Heal Yourself, Change Your Life. So many people share how these episodes have touched their hearts, given them hope, or helped them stay positive through hard times — and that means the world to me. It’s a joy to witness people awakening to just how amazing we all truly are.
If today’s episode touched your heart or expanded your awareness, please share it with someone who needs it. Because as more people become empowered, we really can change our world for the better. That’s the purpose — and the power — of these teachings: to create a radical shift in global consciousness by showing what we’re all capable of.
Each volunteer, each listener, each one of us has the ability to transform. And while I make it look easy — because of the discoveries I’ve made — real change always requires follow-through. Keep reinforcing your positive patterns. Keep aligning your energy. You are capable of healing, thriving, and living a life of joy.
And of course, please continue to see your doctors if you have health issues. Make it your goal to amaze them with what you’re capable of — through the power of your mind and your heart.
Thank you for being here, for sharing, and for helping to create a more conscious, loving world. Remember: you are powerful beyond measure — and your light truly matters.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We understand that some may believe mind-body healing is impossible. Therefore, if you would like to see images of individuals using their minds to relieve pain, you can check out this medical journal. It includes images from some of Brandy's case studies. If you want to learn how to use your mind to heal yourself, you can check out the training on Brandy's website. Each week, Brandy publishes a volunteer episode where she coaches a volunteer to heal themselves using their own mind. In addition, Brandy shares a quick IQ episode (Insights and Questions) where she answers listener questions or delves deeper into insights on working with the mind for healing. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for psychiatric or medical care.
If you struggle with negative thoughts, chronic pain, or chronic health issues, please continue seeing your doctor as recommended. Think of self-healing and mind-body healing as ways to partner with your doctor—keeping them informed and working as a team—so you can feel empowered in your health journey and fully embrace what’s possible through the power of your mind, emotions, and energy. Genuine change and consistent follow-through are key. Please enjoy this self-healing podcast.
© Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Please remember that genuine change and follow-through are key for self-healing results. If you struggle with negative thoughts or have a chronic health issue or chronic pain, please do not avoid seeing your doctor. Instead, your goal with self-healing should be to continue to see your doctor as recommended and blow their mind with what you are capable of with your mind and with the power of mind-body healing. Please enjoy this self-healing podcast.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for inspirational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not stop, start, or change any medications or treatments based on this content. Always consult your licensed healthcare provider before making any medical decisions. By listening, you agree to our full Terms of Use at brandygillmore.com/podcast-terms. This content is for individual use only and may not be copied, reproduced, or used for training purposes, including artificial intelligence (AI) training.