Breaking the Doomscrolling Habit: Sam Brooks on Rethinking the News

Most of us reach for our phones before our eyes are even open, and by the time we're out of bed, we're already carrying a weight that wasn't there when we woke.

Sana talks with Sam Brooks, founder of the good-news platform Rally, about the gap between the world's reality and the version of it we're shown, and how to build a gentler relationship with the news.

About the Guest:Sam Brooks left a career in screenwriting and digital publishing in Los Angeles to found Rally, a platform surfacing underreported stories of progress from trusted publishers worldwide. He now lives and works from Berlin.

Key Takeaways:Notice when a headline makes you anxious; that's often the cue to look for a fuller angle.Seeking out solutions-focused journalism daily isn't ignoring problems, it's seeing the fuller picture.Comparing your feed with someone else's reveals how differently the same world gets shown.A hard event doesn't have to feel hopeless; it can also move you into action.Build a habit around when and how you take in news, instead of relying on willpower.

Connect With the Guest:Website: https://rally.news

Email: sam@rally.news

Episode Chapters:[00:00] Cold Open: the weight we pick up before breakfast

[01:45] Welcome Back: introducing Sam Brooks, founder of Rally

[04:58] From Screenwriting to Rally: how one question changed his path

[10:48] Different Feeds, Different Worlds: why your news and your parents' news don't match

[14:54] Reality vs. Manufactured Fear: telling the two apart

[21:13] When Bad News Becomes Fuel: turning distress into action