Becky Beissel

Have you ever noticed how our mindset shapes what we see in the world around us? It’s like wearing tinted glasses, whether rosy or gray, the lens we choose determines what we notice most. This concept, often referred to as confirmation bias, caught my attention last weekend. I went down a rabbit hole on the topic after listening to an episode of the podcast, “The Growing Small Towns Show,” which discussed mental health programming in rural communities. The episode featured Monica McConkey, a rural mental health specialist, whose insights led me to explore more about this interesting subject.

Monica shared a simple yet powerful example of how confirmation bias works. She asks people to look around a room and take mental note of everything that’s red. Then, she has them do the same for everything blue. Of course, the blue items were there all along, but they weren’t noticed while focusing on the red. Why? Because what we choose to focus on dictates what we see.

In our community, this phenomenon is especially relevant. If you focus on the challenges or imperfections, you’ll find plenty of evidence to support those beliefs. Phrases like “This town sucks,” “There’s nothing to do here,” or “We’re just Ellsworth” are common refrains we’ve all heard, I’m sure. But if you shift your focus to the good—the progress, the dedicated people working to make a difference—you’ll see that, too. Consider our beautiful library, the investments in downtown buildings, the housing and development projects, successful events, and thriving businesses. None of these things happen by chance; they’re the result of hard work by people in this community.

The same principle applies to how we view each other. When we focus solely on someone’s flaws, those flaws dominate our perception. But when we choose to see their strengths, the picture shifts, often revealing a more accurate and balanced view. This year has been an eye-opener for me in this regard. I’ve been surprised by the actions of some individuals. If false accusations, inaccurate narratives, threats, and disrespect were on my bingo card, I would’ve hit a blackout long ago. As the saying goes, “Only the guy who isn’t rowing has time to rock the boat.” – Jean-Paul Sartre.

None of this is to say that things are perfect or that there isn’t a lot of work to do, because there is. But just like the red and blue items in Monica’s example, both the challenges and the opportunities are here. We get to decide where to place our focus. By choosing to appreciate and call out the good while viewing the rest as opportunities for growth and improvement, we can build a stronger, more vibrant community. And if all you ever see is the bad in a community, a business, or a person, it's time to ask yourself: Am I experiencing confirmation bias? Try changing your lens and take another look.