5 Steps to Break the Cycle of Stress, Fear, and Anxiety Surrounding COVID 19

Confirmation Bias is a mechanism in our brain that helps filter information that we are surrounded by. It filters information in a way that confirms what we already believe to be true.

This is a great protective mechanism, however it also means that our brain is programmed to confirm our worst fears.

Today's video is 5 steps to break this toxic cycle.

1. Take 10 -20 deep slow breathes, imagine that all your fears leave your body, and with every inhale you are filled with peace.

2. Actively search for five good things that surrounds you. Choose one for every sense. What is something good you feel, hear, smell, see, touch and taste.

3. Find 3 silver linings that have come out of covid 19.

4. Fill your home with joy!

Have you seen the campaign for a world of hearts? It's where you cut our paper hearts and put them on your windows.

Check out Peggy Ivan's window!

5. Fill your Facebook feed with happy, funny, and purposeful things. You might have to actively search for these things.

For example in my Facebook search bar I typed in the following:

Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Kimmel

Saturday Night Live

Dance videos

Cat videos

Much like confirmation bias Facebook automatically searches for like content. So if you have engaged with a negative video it will continue to show you negative videos. You can override this feature by actively searching for positive, funny, and light-hearted things.

Remember, confirmation bias is meant to help you filter helpful information. It can be tricked into showing you the good things, helpful, fun, and joyful things. You just have to do it!