This guide will prove useful if you – or someone you know – is living in a bubble.
There are positive and negative connotations to living this way. Below, we’ll explore both the pros and cons of living in a bubble.
We’ll also investigate some strategies to help you pop your own bubble (if that’s what you’re ready to do).
In my role as a life coach, I am often helping people break out of their own bubbles. That’s why I’m excited to share this guide with you.
So, let’s dive in.
What Does It Mean To Be Living In A Bubble?
Living in a bubble means someone is psychologically living in a world that’s significantly different from reality. They’re delusional, essentially. At the very least, they’re oblivious.
We’re all technically living in our own world, as we all perceive the world slightly differently. So, it could be argued we’re all in a bubble.
However, the term is only used for those so far removed from the outside world that they struggle to connect with others.
Here are some examples:
- Katie and Rupert grew up in a rich family and were spoiled mercilessly as children. They live in a bubble where bad things can’t happen and they can’t imagine not getting their own way.
- Brandon was raised in a rough neighborhood where everyone was poor and most people grew up to be criminals. He lives in a bubble where it’s impossible to earn good money without doing harm to others.
- Dan was raised to believe that being first place in school and earning lots of money were the only important things in life. Mary was home-schooled on a farm in a tiny countryside and has only ever seen a handful of people. They both live in bubbles where socialising and making friends is extremely difficult.
- Eugene had no success with women as a teenager or young adult. He began consuming ‘incel’ content on the internet and became immersed in this misogynist culture. He’s in a bubble where women are disgusting and evil.
Living In A Bubble Psychology
More than anything in the world, our brains want us to remain safe and comfortable. On a primal level, these basic needs are all it cares about.
On a deeper psychological level, our brains also want us to feel important and that we’re on the right path in life. This part of our psyche is often labelled the ‘ego’.
The human brain can perform incredible tricks to keep us feeling safe, comfortable and important.
One of these is to help us rationalise that living in a bubble is the best course of action.
Of course, it may also be that your family has sheltered you so much as a child that you have no idea that a world exists outside your bubble.
Can We Live In A Bubble?
It can be argued that living in a bubble is a good thing.
If Mary lives in a world where 12-hour workdays on a farm and barely seeing other people is normal, she’s more likely to be satisfied with that simple life.
Katie and Rupert will surely be happy living in a world where they’re always right and get everything they want.
The problems come when the bubble pops and reality slaps them in the face. And the bubble will almost always pop.
Eventually, Marie will face a situation where she needs to use social skills. At some point, Katie and Rupert are likely to be criticized. Having not been exposed to these issues, they’re unlikely to deal with them well.
- When you’re trapped in a bubble, it can be difficult to relate to or interact with people outside of it.
- When you’re unaware of problems that exist in the real world, it becomes incredibly difficult to deal with them.
- When you have a limited view of the world, it becomes impossible to grow, fulfil your potential or live life to the fullest.
The Matrix does a great job of summarising the pros and cons of living in a bubble. If you ever watch this movie, focus on the parts about the red/blue pill and their impacts on society. (The rest of it is great too!)
How Do You Stop Living In A Bubble?
It’s a very tricky thing to stop living in a bubble if you previously have been. Remember, on a primal level, all our brains want is for us to feel safe and comfortable. They will fight hard to keep us in that state.
Still, here are 12 ideas to help you stop living in a bubble, broaden your horizons and ultimately live a richer life.
1. Try New Things
Stop listening to your fear, quit making excuses and start doing new things. It doesn’t matter if you’re good at them, or even if you enjoy them. Just act now! The idea is to get in the habit of leaving your comfort zone, so it becomes easier in future.
Related Content: Keys To Living Life With Intention
2. Start Small
Make tiny changes to your daily routine. Maybe you take a different route to work or try new food for lunch. Perhaps you start a conversation with one new person or make one new friend. It’s easier to adopt new habits in small increments, but make sure that you keep expanding yourself.
3. Consume Different Media
The media plays a big role in creating bubbles. Data shows that people only tend to consume media that is aimed at their demographic and/or supports their opinions. To break out of your bubble, get in the habit of consuming media outside this box.
4. Challenge Your Ideas
A lot of people make the mistake of forming their beliefs without even trying to understand the opposite opinion. Someone who was truly confident in a belief would take the time to consider the opposing one.
Related Content: Ways To Live A Holistic Lifestyle Without Regrets
5. Hang Out With New People
The company we keep plays a huge role in the bubbles we create. Most people tend to spend time with people who share their attitudes to life. If you can expose yourself to a wider range of people, you can expand your horizons and escape any bubbles you were in danger of getting trapped in.
6. Level Up
It’s not always wrong to stick to one thing you’re good at, whether that’s a hobby or a career. Sometimes, that’s great! However, those who do this should keep trying to improve and become better at that one thing.
There will nearly always be someone better you can work with or compete with. That’s more uncomfortable than being a big fish in a small pond, but it will support your personal growth and prevent you from getting stuck in bubbles.
7. Practice Meditation And Other Mindfulness Exercises
Mindfulness exercises such as meditation help you keep your focus and remain in the present moment, so you can see the world as it actually is, rather than being stuck in your head all day. This list of strategies to develop absolute focus can help.
8. Visit A New Culture
Society isn’t the same in different parts of the world. Visiting a new place with a new energy helps to open your eyes to new worlds.
Related Content: Extreme Minimalism – Examples and Guide
9. Move Cities
Moving to a new house in a new city (even for a few months) is a great way to prevent yourself from getting trapped in bubbles. If you’re living in the same environment you were brought up in, that’s a reliable sign you might be caught in a bubble.
10. Volunteer
Just as there’s nearly always someone better off who you can learn from, there’s also nearly always someone worse off you can help. Volunteering to help these people is a great way to make the world a better place, while helping yourself break out of personal bubbles.
11. Put Yourself Out There
This isn’t just about spending time with new groups of people. How about you start making content for the internet, perhaps sharing your opinion on your own blog or social media channel?
The great thing about this is: you’ll reach people with different cultures, interests and beliefs. An unfortunate truth about the internet is: people with different opinions to you are the most likely to comment. Still, listen to what they have to say with an open mind. You might learn something!
As a bonus, you’ll help others out of their bubbles too.
12. Get A Mentor
When you work with a mentor – such a life coach, for example – you’ll be investing in unbiased feedback on your opinions.
A life coach can help you understand your viewpoints and challenge your own beliefs. They’ll help you identify blind spots to develop a more well-rounded knowledge of yourself and the world around you.
A life coach isn’t just for those believing they’re struggling. The truth is: everybody can benefit from the new ideas that form as a result of working with one, no matter what is happening in their lives. Whether you’re an unemployed mother with five children or the company owner with a private jet, a life coach can teach you a lot about the way your mind works.
Any More Questions About Breaking Out Of Bubbles?
Thanks for reading my article. I hope it made sense!
If you want to ask any questions or make a point about breaking out of your own safe bubble, feel free to do so in the comments section below.
It would be great to hear from you.
