BIAS

Written By Duane Nelson


2 IDEAS FROM ME

  • Challenging assumptions and inherited worldviews is vital for overcoming bias and unlocking true understanding. When we question what we've always believed, we open the door to growth, empathy, and innovation. This courageous act of self-reflection allows us to see beyond our own experiences and embrace the richness of diverse perspectives.

  • Negativity bias is a universal evolutionary aspect of human psychology making us more alert to potential dangers and threats than positive experiences. Proven strategies to overcome negativity bias and cultivate a more balanced view are: keeping a gratitude journal, challenging and reframing negative thoughts with positive ones, mindfulness and meditation, deliberately engaging in activities which bring joy, limiting exposure to negative media and social interactions, and self-compassion.

2 QUOTES FROM SAGES

  • “Our brain has a negativity bias which makes is like velcro for the bad and teflon for the good. So we have to learn to take in the positive experiences, weaving them into the fabric of our brains.”—Rick Hanson.

  • “The individual who acts with bias engages with an expectation instead of reality. That expectation is assembled from the artifacts of culture: headlines and history books, myths and statistics, encounters real and imagined, and selective interpretations of reality that confirm prior beliefs. Biased individuals do not see a person. They see a person-shaped daydream.”—Jessica Nordell (The End of Bias)

1 QUESTION FOR YOU TO EXPLORE

  • What is your practice to overcome unconscious bias?

Namaste,

Duane Nelson

Duane Nelson

Ultrajourney Insight is an Anacortes Washington-based non-profit organization providing mindfulness & well-being services designed to ignite the adventure of a lifetime. The founder, Duane Nelson, is a writer, speaker, and teacher with four decades of parenting, wilderness, & international technology leadership. His professional insights come from chemical engineering and automation leadership at Philips, Intel, and Amazon. His adventure insights flow from ultramarathons, mountaineering, canyoneering, and adventure racing in Nepal, Alaska, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, Mexico, British Columbia and Alberta.

https://ultrajourneyinsight.org
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