Each and every day, I make time to write and have to admit that this can be a challenging experience.

If I’m not writing jokes, editing a script or fine-tuning ideas for this newspaper column, I’m adding to my list of corporate and conference talks (for when such events take place in the future, hopefully).

Doing this exercise on a daily basis is good practice, to ensure my writing skills don’t get rusty.

When researching subjects, I often turn to the news pages online, which is a great source of material.  Unfortunately, most of the time, well, nearly all of the time the news is full of negative and shocking stories from home and abroad.

Rarely do we see a happy, uplifting headlines.  That wouldn’t sell, would it?

As my loyal followers will testify, I’m all for freedom of speech and the free exchange of information, but the level of shock news reporting we are exposed to is bound to have a detrimental effect on our moods and outlook on life.

Children are also exposed to this negativity at such a young age, which can’t help to create a healthy and positive lifestyle – and don’t even get me started on so-called “social influencers”

I would welcome more good news – or even a ‘Good News Channel’.  Is it any wonder that we now live in a society where mental illness and depression is at an uncontrollable level?