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!)

I'd love to get a list going of people's favorite books or current reads! (or if you've written a book yourself, feel free to share that as well!). If you'd be so inclined, please feel free to share in this space. Also, if there's a book you would NOT recommend, share that too. I'm curious! My current reads: The Bible-trying to make this a daily habit Dune My most recent reads: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addictions Fight Club Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder Disappointment with God Kasher in the Rye (NOT to be confused with Catcher in the Rye) Favorite Books: Man's Search for meaning-viktor frankl Elements-Transfiguration of Elijah -anonymous priest in the oriental orthodox church Daring Greatly (and a bunch of Brene Brown's other work--Gifts of Imperfection; I thought it was just me but it wasn't; Braving the WIlderness) Screwtape Letters and the Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis Atomic Habits Brother's Karamazov and Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky Welcome to the Orthodox Church by Fredericka Matthews Greene (I'll continue adding, these are just top of mind right now! ) Thank you for the inspiration @Dan 'Remmy' Stourac Please add to the list: @Aleksandra Nedelkoski @Anastasia Cocioaba @Andres Mateo @George Arhip @Loren Angelo @Britni Burton @Tim Blacke @Christa Lovas @Anastasia Cocioaba @LaTanya Carter @Dan 'Remmy' Stourac @David Pepper @David Pepper @Dayna Kanouna @Dr. Melissa Partaka @John D @Rachel Featherstone @Julia Groth @William Guy @Kimberly Poirier @Lisa Papiez @Lisa Vanderveen @Mary Seguin @Michael Mcknight @Michelle Mann @Moni Matysiak @Rina Maniou @Ronnie McCabe @Peter Oconnell @Ruth aka Grace Rose @Ryanne Ryan @Tracy Stewart @Yana Vanoverberghe

In its simplest definition, meditation is a practice that involves focusing or clearing your mind using a combination of mental and physical techniques. Meditation is often praised for peace, clarity, stress relief, spiritual growth... BUT, what happens when that's not the experience? Many people don’t expect the unusual, scary, or even supernatural-type experiences that can emerge when they meditate deeply or intensely. We "clear our minds", but what is it that we're leaving room for? What is that space being filled with? **About 33% of people indicate experiencing negative/adverse effects with meditative practice* This is considered a statistically significant number** (JUMP to the bottom for positive/negative experiences surrounding this) Meditation was initially a religious practice but has made ground with individuals that don't consider themselves religious. It can be found across cultures and religions and dates back for thousand of years. 🙏Examples of Meditation in different religions/cultures/contexts: - Buddhist: Several different forms of meditation have their origins in Buddhism (which is considered both a philosophy and a religion, especially depending on the nation of origin). Theravadan meditation is more common in Southeast Asia, especially in India and Thailand. Zen Buddhist meditation originated in China, and different forms of it eventually evolved elsewhere, such as Japanese Zen Buddhist meditation. Tibetan Buddhist tantric meditation comes from the former nation of Tibet, now a region of China. Buddhism emphasizes mindfulness and insight to cultivate compassion and liberate from suffering. - Christian: Contemplation or contemplative prayer is a common practice in Christianity. Praying is often classified as meditation. *A note here: may be worth looking into the different Christian groups and their view/stance on meditation. - Islam: uses shikr (rememberance of God) and muraqabah (meditative reflection) for spiritual closeness - Judaism: offers meditation-like practices such as hitbodedut and Kabbalistic contemplation to deepen connection with the divine. - Guided: A nonreligious form of meditation can happen with several people or one-on-one. It’s a common technique in counseling, therapy and group support settings. - Osho: This form of meditation, also known as “dynamic meditation”, comes from India and has its roots in Hinduism. Breathing exercises are deliberate and forceful. - Sufi: Sufism is a branch of Islam, and meditation is a common practice among people who follow it. - Taoist: Like Buddhism, Taoism is also considered a religion and philosophy. It originated in China and is best known through the writings of its founder, Laozi (also spelled “Lao Tzu” or “Lao-Tze”). - Transcendental : This form of meditation comes from India. It involves using mantras, which are phrases or words people focus on and repeat aloud or in their minds. - Yoga: This is a physical form of meditation and exercise from India. It can take on religious and nonreligious forms.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) often uses the “Life Compass” exercise to help people align daily actions with their deepest values. Think of it as creating your own internal GPS so you know where you’re going and why 🌟. 🌿What It Is: The Life Compass exercise is a guided reflection that helps you identify your core values across different life areas (relationships, work, health, learning, spirituality, fun, and community). By clarifying what truly matters, you can steer your life intentionally rather than drift on autopilot. I do a similar exercise using the "wheel of life" to help assess my level of satisfaction in each area, my level of engagement in each area, and also what I can do differently to feel more fulfilled! :) 📝 How to Do It 1. Map Your Life Areas: Draw a circle or a compass with sections for family, friendships, career, health, leisure, spirituality, growth, and community. (The pdf has a fill in the blank version of something similar) 2. Identify Core Values: For each area, write down words that describe what matters most. Examples: kindness, growth, connection, creativity, adventure. You can also write down how you're showing up in these areas or how you'd like to show up! 3. Rate Your Alignment: On a scale of 1–10, rate how closely your current actions align with each value. This is an important step. Our bodies often cue us in when there's a lack of alignment. Something feels "not quite right". Notice where you feel most fulfilled and where there is room for growth. 4. Choose Small Actions: Pick one or two areas where you want to take action this week. For example, if “health” is important, your small action might be adding a 10-minute daily walk. 5. Review and Adjust: Revisit your Life Compass every few weeks to see if you’re on course or if you need to adjust. 🌱 Why It Works This exercise increases psychological flexibility, a core goal of ACT. When our choices reflect our values, we feel more grounded, resilient, and purposeful even when life gets difficult. There's a level of attunement that takes place that gives us a sense of inner peace even if the external world is chaotic.

If Cognitive Defusion (mentioned earlier) is learning to see thoughts as passing events, Cognitive Fusion is the opposite. It’s when your thoughts feel like absolute truth and dictate your behavior. We feel super attached to the thoughts that we have. This concept also comes from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and helps explain why some thoughts can feel overwhelming or controlling. ✨ What Cognitive Fusion Is - Cognitive Fusion happens when you become entangled with your thoughts.(Thinking that you and your thoughts are one and the same) - Instead of noticing a thought, you treat it as reality. - This can lead to rigid thinking, avoidance, or impulsive actions. - Explains why negative thoughts can become so powerful; language and how we internalize it really does shape our experiences. 🧠 Why It Matters - Fusion can intensify anxiety, depression, and self-criticism. - It narrows your ability to act according to your values. - You may find yourself reacting automatically instead of responding intentionally. 🛠️ Signs of Cognitive Fusion 1. Literal Thinking ⚠️--treating every thought as a fact 2. Emotion Overdrive 💢-emotion intensity occurs because our thoughts and reality blend together 3. Rigid Behavior 🚫-acting on unhelpful thoughts even if they go against your values 4. Loss of Perspective 🌀-difficulty seeing other possibilites or alternative options 🌿 How to Begin Unfusing (there are more examples of this in a previous post on cognitive defusion) 1. Name the Thought 🏷️--"i am having a thought that____" 2. Practice Mindfulness 🧘-focus on your body sensations and your breath and notice the thoughts as "just" thoughts; we don't always need to engage with thoughts. 3. Use Defusion Techniques 🌊--these were covered in a previous post (sing it, visualize it floating away, write it out) 4. Reconnect with Values 💖- Ask yourself, "If I was not hooked by this thought right now, what action would align with my values?" 💬 Question to consider: Have you noticed when you get “hooked” by a thought? What helps you unhook and return to the present?