2025 has opened with a nonstop news barrage, from stunning developments in AI to devastating fires in L.A. to a changing of the guard in Washington.

• Why it matters: All that can lead to burnout and disillusionment, but there are ways to help your brain deal with chaos, Axios' Tina Reed reports.

1. Set some intentions. To stay informed, but not get overwhelmed, try being intentional about how and where you get your news, the Harvard Business Review notes.

• Instead of scrolling through endless headlines, updates and hot takes, try going straight to a trusted source and catching up on what you need to know at a dedicated time every day — whether it's while you have your morning coffee or while you ride the train home from work.

2. Start a dialogue. After publishing a book last month about how people of different political parties think differently, UNC professor Kurt Gray heard from multiple people saying they were using it to better understand their opposing party's beliefs.

• They were saying: "'I don't want to live in a community that's divided,'" Gray said. "'And now that I know these ideas are not a fluke and they're here to stay, it's urgent for me to really understand what people think and to build coalitions or allies to move these issues ahead.'"
• One 80-year-old California woman who identified as a progressive said she was creating a group of Democrats, Republicans and independents to discuss local issues with each other.

3. Give yourself a reality check. Our first edition of Finish Line had this message: "The rising power and prominence of the nation's loudest, meanest voices obscures what most of us personally experience: Most people are sane and generous — and too busy to tweet."

• Stat to go: Americans donated $557 billion in 2023, which is the most recent year for which GivingUSA has data. Two-thirds of that money came from individuals, and charitable giving increased year over year across all categories, from education to health to the arts to the environment.

We love the colors in this photo from reader Bob Russell — snapped at sunset in the Needles District, the southeastern part of Canyonlands National Park in Utah.