Inner Work With MaryAnn Walker: Life Coach for People Pleasers

223: Bloom Scrolling: How to Rewire Your Brain for More Joy

• MaryAnn Walker • Episode 223

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Bloom Scrolling: How to Rewire Your Brain for More Joy Instead of Doom Scrolling


Have you ever picked up your phone for "just a minute" only to realize an hour has disappeared—and somehow you feel more anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally drained than when you started?

That's doom scrolling.

In this episode of Inner Work with MaryAnn Walker, we're exploring its powerful opposite: bloom scrolling.

Bloom scrolling is the intentional practice of curating your social media feed—and your daily life—to cultivate more joy, inspiration, hope, and peace. Instead of letting the algorithm decide what influences your thoughts, emotions, and nervous system, you'll learn how to intentionally train your brain to seek out the good.

Research shows that what we repeatedly focus on strengthens the neural pathways associated with those thoughts and emotions. By intentionally consuming uplifting content, you can begin reinforcing more positive thought patterns, activate your parasympathetic "rest and digest" response, and create an environment where joy becomes easier to experience.

In this episode, I share practical ways to transform your social media experience, simple daily habits that take less than five minutes, and the surprising ways your feed can influence your mood, energy, and overall outlook on life.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

  • The difference between doom scrolling and bloom scrolling
  • Why we doom scroll when we're anxious, overwhelmed, or procrastinating
  • How social media affects your nervous system and emotional well-being
  • Why intentionally curating your feed can improve your mood
  • How your brain develops stronger neural pathways based on repeated experiences
  • Simple ways to teach the algorithm what you actually want to see
  • Why five intentional minutes each day can change how you experience life
  • How to cultivate more joy both online and offline

This Week's Challenge

Today, intentionally reshape your algorithm.

When you find something that genuinely inspires you:

  • Like it.
  • Comment on it.
  • Follow the creator.
  • Save or share the post.

When something consistently drains your energy:

  • Select "Not Interested."
  • Unfollow or mute accounts that no longer serve you.

Then spend just five intentional minutes doing something that brings you joy—whether that's stretching, dancing, sitting in the sunshine, playing with your dog, reading something inspiring, or simply taking a deep breath.

Small, intentional choices repeated consistently create lasting change.

Resources Mentioned

Work With Me

If you're ready to stop living on autopilot and intentionally create more peace, confidence, and joy, I'd love to support you.

The Self-Reclamation Project is my 12-week private coaching experience designed specifically for  women who are ready to reclaim their voice, their energy, and their lives.

I'm opening just 10 spots beginning in September.

Learn more here: https://maryannwalker.life/coaching-packages

Email me at maryann@maryannwalker.life to learn more or reserve your spot.

If this episode encouraged you, I'd love it if you subscribed, left a review, and shared it with someone who could use a little more joy in their life.


Speaker 4

Well, hello and welcome back. So apparently when I talked about Good Morning America reaching out to me last week to talk about bloom scrolling, then many of you were not quite sure what bloom scrolling was. So today we're going to be talking about it. So first, you might actually be more familiar with the opposite of bloom scrolling, which is doom scrolling. Now, doom scrolling is what you're doing when you're just on your phone for hours on end, just kind of mindlessly scrolling, watching reels, whatever it is that you're doing online. You're essentially letting the algorithm decide what it is that you're going to be watching. So when you're doom scrolling, it's very passive, it's unintentional, and soon you might find yourself looking up at the clock and thinking, "Oh my goodness, I cannot believe how much time has passed." Now, many people doom scroll when they're either attempting to avoid an emotion or they're procrastinating something. So for example, maybe they're feeling bored, so they get online, or they really don't want to feel insecure or anxious or overwhelmed, so they get online and they just start scrolling. Or maybe they just really don't wanna do the housework, or they don't actually wanna get ready for that event, and so as a form of procrastination, they just start scrolling. But the thing with doom scrolling is, is that most people, they don't feel very good afterwards. In fact, generally speaking, they're feeling more tired. Maybe they're feeling more disappointed in themselves because, "Oh my goodness, I've wasted so much time." Many people, then they doom scroll in an attempt to numb emotions, but the thing is, we can't selectively numb emotions. So when you're avoiding feeling and processing the negative emotions, you might find that, okay, well, yes, I did numb the negative emotions, but now I'm not experiencing the joy that I used to enjoy either. So after doom scrolling, people generally feel just very blah. They're not feeling great. Now, bloom scrolling is a little bit different. Bloom scrolling is intentionally seeking out the things that really light you up. So yes, it is intentional, and it's something that is curated by you. It's something that you've decided to tune into rather than just letting the algorithm determine what it is that is popping up in your feed. And there's usually a plan in place where it's, "Okay, I'm gonna dedicate ten minutes to go and find something that's gonna make me laugh or make me feel better." It's being very intentional about what it is that you want your experience to be. So bloom scrolling, it might look like visiting your favorite poet's website and just thinking, "Oh, I wonder what inspiration they have for me today. I'm so excited to just go and see what's there." Or maybe it's watching nature videos or those really silly animal clips like, oh my goodness, there are such silly animals in the world, right? But it's things that were created to uplift and inspire that you are intentionally seeking out. And after bloom scrolling, people generally feel quite a bit better. They feel more energized. They're happier. They might even feel inspired and move to action. It just feels so good, and all it takes is just a little bit of intention. Now, when I first created my social media business page, then I decided that I wanted to kind of create, like, my business persona, right? This would allow me to connect with other professionals. It would allow me a space where followers could come and hang out with me without giving them access to, photos of my children and things. So I created this separate account. And when I created that account, I was very intentional about what I wanted to create. So I very intentionally went to connect with other coaches, with other podcasters, with other entrepreneurs, with, people that were creating content that was intended to uplift and inspire, people that I could essentially add to my bloom scrolling feed, right? And it was so interesting for me to just notice the difference in these two accounts, where on my personal page, then yeah, I've been friends with... There's a lot of people on there that I'm friends with. It's probably the same for you, where I'm like, "I don't really know how I met this person," or, "Wow, yep, I'm pretty sure I only added them because we went to high school together 30 years ago." But we might not have a lot in common now. We might have very different interests. But because we're connected on social media, the algorithm says, "Oh, well, if you're friends with them, you must have this in common." So then I'm finding things in my feed going, "Wow, how did I get here?" But on my other page where I was more intentional about, you know, following my mentor Brooke Castillo, following Mel Robbins, my other coaching friends, people that uplift and inspire, it was such a stark contrast when I logged into that account. And I found myself spending more and more time on that page because it just felt better. It was better for my mental health. It was better for my energy. It was better for my mood to just be in that space. It was quite fascinating. Now, the first time that I talked about bloom scrolling, it was about three and a half years ago. The TikTok that Good Morning America wanted to show was over three years old, which is wild. But it's very interesting for me to look back on that time and see how much the world has changed. Not just my personal life, right? Uh, yes, there's been a lot of changes in my personal life. We've moved... Let's see, we've moved twice within that time There's been a lot of changes in my personal life, but also here in the country and around the world, there's been a huge shift, and it was very interesting for me to think back on COVID. Do you guys remember COVID and what your feed looked like during COVID? It was very fascinating to see that we as a collective had essentially decided that we were going to post more positive things. We were all feeling a little bit down. We were all feeling a little bit stuck, and we collectively decided to add more joy to the world. So I remember logging on and seeing videos of Italians out on their balcony singing with their neighbors at sunset. This was something that apparently they would do quite often, right? In, at least in that particular neighborhood. I remember seeing people starting their fitness journeys and just seeing how they were showing up consistently for themselves. It was so inspiring. It was just amazing to see what it was that people were putting out there. People were developing new habits and new hobbies, and it was beautiful and amazing to see what it was that people were putting out there. So think for a moment about what really brings you joy, and then ask yourself, "Okay, how can I intentionally cultivate that right now in my feed and in my life?" Now, there are a few social media pages that I just love. So for example, right now I am loving following Rockalina. I don't know if you are aware who Rockalina is, but oh my goodness, it is such a heartwarming story. So Rockalina is a box turtle that had been living on somebody's kitchen floor for about 50 years, and just living off of cat food. Rockalina didn't know what it was like to be in nature anymore, didn't know what it was like to have a healthy diet, and Rockalina wasn't doing so great. Her shell didn't look too good. Her eyes weren't very good. She just really wasn't looking that healthy. And when Rockalina was rescued, they started tracking her journey. They started showing what it was like the first time that she actually ate a strawberry, and what does it look like when she's actually hunting for a worm. They were teaching her how to be a box turtle, and changing her diet in ways where really it was having such a huge and significant impact on her shine and everything. She just looked like a completely different turtle. And you guys, the most cutest thing just happened over there, where they just recently introduced Rockalina to a baby box turtle. So Rockalina, they don't even know if she's ever known another box turtle, and this little baby box turtle, Rockalina's the first box turtle that that baby's ever known. And they weren't quite sure what they were going to do with each other, what they would think of each other, but they have turned into the cutest friends, and it is the most adorable thing. And Rockalina is teaching this new little baby how to survive as a box turtle. It is just so heartwarming. I absolutely love it when Rockalina pops up in my feed. I'm also following Coach Sam, and yeah, I'll put his handle in the show notes, and also I'm gonna be re-sharing these on my Instagram. So if you aren't following me on Instagram, then you can find me. My handle is maryannwalker.life. But I will repost these clips that I'm referring to the day that this episode drops, so it'll be easier for you to find. But Coach Sam, he is coaching his friend and client, Dodd. And the clip that completely hooked me was so inspiring, Sam was working with his friend and client, Dodd, and he told Dodd, he said, "Okay, whatever you lift, I'm going to lift." And Dodd's a big guy, so he already had a lot of weight he was carrying, so he was lifting only the bar. And then Coach Sam stepped in. He said, "Okay, now I'm going to lift what you just lifted." And he added Dodd's body weight to the bar. And it took Dodd a minute to figure that out, but you could see his mind completely shift and his mind be completely blown when he saw what his coach was doing. And he said, "Oh, that's me." And the gears started turning, and then Dodd said, "Oh my goodness, my legs must be so strong. I can't believe I've been lifting that much." Okay? Dodd was, at the time, 465 pounds, and he realized in that moment he had been lifting 465 pounds every single day with those legs. And he realized in that moment, in real time, how strong his legs must be. His legs must be stronger than anybody else in that gym because he's lifting it, not just occasionally, not just a few times a week at the gym, but every single day. So then Dodd feels so empowered, and he tells his coach, "All right, hit me with the weights." And then Dodd is lifting 132 pounds on top of his body weight, and it was just so inspiring to see that real-life transformation as well as to continue to follow Dodd on his weight loss journey. I just absolutely love it. It's amazing. So again, I will be reposting those clips to my Instagram. But think for a moment about, okay, who really inspires me? When I see a clip that inspires me, do I make a point to follow the page and to get more of that content, or do I just keep scrolling and let the algorithm pick what it is that I watch? Now, I'm gonna give you a challenge right now, and I really want you to take this to heart because this is a very simple challenge, but it can be completely transformative. So today, when you're online, today when you are on social media, When you see something that lights you up, I want you to subscribe, okay? Like and subscribe, comment, do something to let the algorithm know that this is the kind of content I want to see more of. And if you see something pop up in your feed where you go, "Oh my goodness, this is such a drain. Why did this show up in my feed? I do not want to be seeing more of this," use the drop-down and let the algorithm know, "I am not interested in this content." Okay? Just do that with one post each day, one where you intentionally engage and subscribe, and one where you intentionally let the algorithm know, "Uh-uh, I don't wanna have this in my feed." Okay? It is amazing to see how quickly your algorithm can change to become something that is more supportive, so that eventually, if you do that day after day after day, just imagine how much more empowered you will feel, how much more inspired you will feel, how much more joy you will be experiencing simply from that one tiny habit of intentionally engaging and intentionally disengaging with your algorithm. Subscribe to the things that really light you up. And I'm not talking only online here. But decide, okay, what is it that's gonna light me up, and how can I incorporate more of that into my day? So what things do light you up? Maybe you want to play tug-of-war with your dog. I love playing tug with my dog. It's just the most fun thing ever. Maybe you want to add a new plant to your collection so that you have something beautiful to look at when you're working throughout the day. For me, I've noticed how much better I sleep and how much better I feel when I incorporate even just 10 minutes of yoga into my day. Maybe you want to spend a few minutes just standing in the sunshine and feeling the sun on your skin. Maybe you want to lay on the grass during your lunch break. Maybe you want to make a point to share one funny joke a day or share a funny reel with a friend every single day. Now, during COVID, oh my goodness, there were the most hilarious memes online. People were so creative, and I just ate it up. I loved it. So what I did during COVID was I kind of collected all of those funny memes, and then I would share them on my page. And it was very interesting to see how not only did that bring me joy, but it brought other people joy, and it kind of became this community event\ where people would tag me in things and say, "Oh, MaryAnn, I thought you'd want to see this." Or they would send me in a private message something funny that they saw so that I could share it in the next morning's batch of funny memes. And it was just so fun to see how much that shifted my experience and everybody else's. I've also noticed for myself that, yeah, I kind of go in spurts with playing the ukulele, but every time I do play it, it really lights me up and it makes me smile. So maybe there's something like that where you occasionally do it, but you know that when you do do it, it just brings you so much joy. It might be music or art or something else, but really think about, "Okay, what is it that I could do today to help me to cultivate joy?" Adding just a little bit of joy to your day, it doesn't need to take a lot of time. In fact, just five minutes of being intentional about creating joy can have a huge impact on how you feel. So let's kind of just start there. Let's start with just five minutes a day of intentionally creating joy. Five minutes of turning on the music and dancing, five minutes to just stand on the grass and feel yourself be grounded and feel the sun on your face, five minutes to just kind of tidy up your space a little bit so that you can experience less chaos. It's just five minutes, but it can make such a huge difference. We are what we practice over time, and we can either practice it intentionally or we can practice it unintentionally. But how you feel and how you experience the world right now is a direct result of what it is that you think and feel over time, okay? So be more intentional about it. If you do not like how you're currently feeling, try something new. Practice it. Reinforce those new, more positive neural pathways, cultivate that feed, and make it something more supportive for you, and just see what happens. Now, I've noticed for myself, when I am unintentional with how I want to start my day, then generally speaking, I reach over, I grab my phone, and the first thing that the algorithm shows me is the news. And I have noticed that when I read the news first thing in the morning, I feel more drained. I feel more pessimistic. I have a harder time getting going for the day. So I have to be very intentional about, okay, I know that if I open my phone, that's what I'm gonna see. I'm not going to do it. But when I'm more intentional about what it is that I wanna create, when I wake up and I work out first, I feel so much better. When I make a point to listen to one chapter of the audiobook that we're reading for book club before checking the news, I feel so much better. I feel more energized, I feel more clear-headed, and I'm more motivated to start the day, and it makes all the difference. So today, decide what it is that you want to see more of in your feed and in your life. Intentionally subscribe and unsubscribe to one thing daily, and come back and let me know what a difference it makes for you. And if you want to have more support as you work to intentionally create more joy, then come and work with me.

As I mentioned last week, the doors are now open for my self-reclamation project. So if you're wanting to reclaim your joy, your energy, and your life, then consider this your personal invitation. The cost is $1,200 for this 12-week one-on-one coaching experience, and I am limiting it to just 10 women. So if you are interested, then go ahead and email me at maryann@maryannwalker.life and let me know what one change you're most wanting to create. We'll be starting in September, so that'll give you plenty of time to finish out your summer vacation and get the kids in school. And to be honest, I'm not quite sure when the doors will be open again or at what price. And so if you are interested, then email me now to secure your seat. You can find all the details in the show notes, and if you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to me. I'm happy to help. You can experience more joy and peace in life, and I can show you how. All right. Well, I hope you have a great week, and let's talk soon. Bye now