We all carry biases in life. It's helpful to know what they are. But today we'll focus on confirmation bias, one of the most commonn logical fallacies. Definition:"the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories" It happens when we focus on information that supports our existing beliefs while ignoring or discounting evidence that challenges them. We also take neutral input as something favoring 'our' side. **We give special weight to information that allows us to come to the conclusion that we want to reach** This mental shortcut feels comfortable but can lead to distorted thinking, poor decisions, and missed opportunities for growth. ✨ What It Looks Like in Real Life - 📰 News Consumption: Only reading articles or following social media accounts that agree with your views or discounting opposing/differing views. - 💬 Conversations: Seeking out people who validate your opinions while avoiding those who disagree. - 🔍 Decision Making: Interpreting neutral evidence as proof you were “right all along.” Why Confirmation Bias Happens - We dislike cognitive dissonance—holding beliefs that are challenged causes discomfort, so we avoid it. - Beliefs feel more certain because we’ve already invested trust or identity in them. Letting them go feels like loss. (Remember the sunk cost fallacy from earlier? This definitely plays into this!) - We often have selective exposure: we choose what to read, who to listen to, what to trust—allowing bias to reinforce itself.--the bubble effect/echo chamber effect is real here. 🎯 Why It Matters When we only see what confirms our beliefs, we risk reinforcing biases, polarizing relationships, and making errors in judgment. Studies show that confirmation bias can strengthen false beliefs over time, making it harder to change our minds. 🌱 How to Break Free from Confirmation Bias 1️⃣ Actively Seek Opposing Views: Read or listen to perspectives different from your own. ALL change begins with being honest! 1--be aware of the biases you may have and 2--be OPEN to being proven wrong (intellectual humility is a flex! Use it!)

Ever kept putting time, money, or effort into something because you’ve “already invested too much”? That’s the sunk cost fallacy at work. It’s one of the most common thinking traps in everyday life, affecting decisions in careers, relationships, business, and even hobbies. 🧠 What It Is The sunk cost fallacy happens when we continue with a decision or project simply because of what we have already spent, rather than evaluating future benefits objectively. Once time or money is spent, it’s gone. Yet our minds dislike “wasting” it, so we keep investing even when it no longer makes sense. Sunk costs are costs that have already been incurred and can no longer be recovered. It is associated with commitment bias--where we continue to support our past decisions in spite of new evidence that no longer supports the old decision. 📋 Examples You Might Recognize - Staying in a job you dislike because you’ve been there for years - Holding on to an underperforming investment because you “already put so much into it” - Continuing a streaming subscription you barely use because you paid for a whole year - Remaining in a project or relationship that no longer aligns with your goals - Staying in a religion or denomination even when there's evidence that seeking further/going in a different direction is more aligned ; or not believing something in spite of evidence - Governmental programs that are no longer working/didn't work 🛠 How to Address It Pause and evaluate future value 📝Ask yourself: “If I weren’t already involved, would I start this today?” Reframe the investment 🔄Recognize the time or money already spent as a lesson or tuition for growth. The true waste is continuing something that isn’t working. Set clear decision points ⏳Use check-ins or deadlines to reassess whether to continue. This makes it easier to step back without guilt. Seek objective feedback 👥Friends, mentors, or colleagues can offer perspective free from your emotional investment. 🌱 Takeaway Letting go of sunk costs frees up time, money, and energy for opportunities that actually serve you now. By spotting this bias early, you can make clearer, future-focused decisions.

A friend and I are planning to go on a trip next year. Looking at the cost made me think...man, that's pretty pricey. What can I do to save some money? And..my mind automatically went to all the small purchases that I make that aren't really necessary but that give me the little bursts of dopamine. Small spending habits add up faster than most people realize--at least this is the case for me and many that I've seen around me. Paying attention to where your $ goes can reveal patterns and help you make intentional financial choices. ✨ What is Micro-Spending? Micro-spending refers to the tiny purchases we make regularly that often go unnoticed, like: - ☕ Frequent coffee runs - 🍫 Snacks, drinks or vending machine treats - 🛒 Impulse buys at checkout - 📱 Subscription services you forget about - 🍕Lunches at work - 🎁subscription boxes, in-app purchases, delivery fees 💡 Why Track Your Spending: - 📊 Awareness: Seeing where your money goes uncovers hidden leaks in your budget. - 🎯 Goal Alignment: Helps you prioritize spending on what truly matters. - 💰 Savings Boost: Cutting back on small, unnecessary purchases can free up significant cash over time. - 🧠 Mindful Habits: Builds a conscious approach to money instead of automatic spending. ✨ How to Track Spending Effectively: - 📝 Use a Budget App or Spreadsheet: Record every expense daily. - 💳 Check Bank Statements: Regularly review transactions for unnoticed charges. - 🏷️ Categorize Expenses: Group spending into essentials, discretionary, and “micro” purchases. - ⏱️ Set a Weekly Review: Reflect on patterns, wins, and areas to improve. - 🎯 Create Spending Limits: Allocate a small daily or weekly amount for micro-spending and stick to it. (this is something that we've done in the past and it ended up being a good way to practice self discipline too) 💬Question to ponder: What’s one micro-spending habit you discovered after tracking your expenses, and how did it change your approach to money?

Follow up from earlier post: Small purchases may feel harmless, but they add up quickly. With intentional strategies, you can take control of your money and make spending purposeful. ✨ Strategies to Curb Micro-Spending: - 📝 Track Every Dollar: Keep logging your expenses to stay aware of where your money goes. Awareness is the first step to change. - 🚫 Pause Before You Buy: Wait 24 hours before making a non-essential purchase. Many impulses fade with time. - 💳 Set Spending Limits: Create a small, budgeted allowance for micro-purchases each week. This allows flexibility without overspending. - 🛍️ Avoid Triggers: Identify stores, apps, or routines that lead to unnecessary purchases and reduce exposure. - 📦 Unsubscribe and Delete: Cancel unused subscriptions and remove shopping apps from your phone. - 🎯 Focus on Goals: Keep your larger financial goals visible, like savings, investments, or debt repayment, to motivate mindful choices. - 🏦 Use Cash Envelopes: Allocating physical cash for discretionary spending can make micro-purchases feel more real and controlled. ***Live humbly--think about your relationship with others and with money. The video below mentions on how in Swiss culture it is frowned upon to be flashing one's money and how status is not dependent on how someone 'shows off' what they have but rather their ability to manage what they have responsibly. *** I appreciated this because a lot of the U.S. culture (and media that we ingest) is counter to this*** - 💬 Reflect Weekly: Review wins and challenges each week. Celebrate when you make intentional choices and adjust strategies as needed. 💬 Question to consider: What small habit could you change this week to reduce micro-spending and save more toward your goals? (for me? It's going out to eat...It's my biggest expense I would say)

Hello! 😀 Welcome to a community that will serve to empower you to live your most fulfilled life! Excited for us to be part of a supportive environment where we will be encouraged to explore and increase self-awareness, gain perspective, develop insight, take action and thrive through our journey in life. ♥ I believe that you have value and worth and who you are as a person matters and this will guide many of the posts that you will see. Posts will take into consideration the different dimensions of life: social, emotional, intellectual, physical, spiritual, occupational, etc. 💡You are welcome and ENCOURAGED to share material, insights, inspirations, questions, and anything that you think that will be helpful towards growth.💡 ❤️Let's live wholeheartedly and with intention!!! ❤️ So honored to be part of this journey with you! Thank you for allowing me to be part of it. 🙂 🌟Please introduce yourself and also share something that brings you joy and makes you feel alive🌟 added: share some topics that interest you-- this will help guide some of the content!!🔥 ***Feel free to self promote either here or under the life wins category***