Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder

“And whenever I’d complain or was upset about something in my own life, my mother had the same advice: ‘Darling, just change the channel. You are in control of the clicker. Don’t replay the bad, scary movie.’”

Arianna Huffington’s mother uses a metaphor of changing the channel to convey her wisdom about perspective. The phrase “just change the channel” serves as a symbol for taking control over one’s thoughts and emotions. It implies that we have the power to shift our focus away from negative or distressing experiences, much like changing the channel on a television.

“Being connected in a shallow way to the entire world can prevent us from being deeply connected to those closest to us—including ourselves.”

Using antithesis, Huffington presents a sharp contrast between being connected to the entire world and being deeply connected to those closest to oneself. This contrast emphasizes the trade-off between the two and the importance of balance in the modern digital world. It serves as a reminder to invest time in self-reflection and in building and maintaining authentic relationships with our loved ones.

“Our eulogies are always about the other stuff: what we gave, how we connected, how much we meant to our family and friends, small kindnesses, lifelong passions, and the things that made us laugh. So why do we spend so much of our limited time on this earth focusing on all the things our eulogy will never cover?”

Huffington uses a rhetorical question to prompt deeper thought about the definition of success. By turning to eulogies, which are composed upon one’s death, Huffington introduces a hint of dramatic irony: People spend their lives pursuing money and power, but what others love and remember them for are small moments of kindness and connection.