Ah January! The time for resolutions is upon us. What have you committed to this year? Better health? Becoming smarter with your money? More quality time with loved ones? Amen to all of it! I'm totally with you:) I love having a reset, where we can start fresh and set new intentions to drive our life forward, (though, I don't believe we have to wait until January to do it). But there's one factor that tends to get overlooked that makes all the difference in how these resolutions pan out: Your Environment.
You can't make positive choices for the rest of your life without an environment that makes those choices easy, natural, and enjoyable. -Deepak Chopra
Your environment determines your success because it sets the stage for what you think, believe, and feel about life. It determines through which lens you look at the world and yourself, so it's vital that you clean it up! Since "environment" is a broad term, you want to split it up into 3 categories: Physical Space (at work and at home), Personal Interactions (the people in your life), and Your Thoughts (what's going on between those ears!)
STEP ONE: Clarity
In each area, you're looking at "How is my Environment supporting me?" and "How is it not?" Make a list of the conditions, people, and prominent thoughts that contribute to your success and to your sabotage.
STEP TWO: Clean-Up Your Physical Space(s)
Walk through each area of your home and/or office. Notice what makes you cringe and contract, vs. light up and expand. Ask yourself:
1.) Does this add value to my life?
2.) How do I feel when I look at this?
3.) Does this still resonate with me and the life I'm creating?
(Note: When doing this exercise I noticed the book "Small Business for Dummies" on my shelf. I realized that every time I looked at that, I was subconsciously registering "I am dumb at business" in my mind. I bring up this example to show that the littlest thing can have such a deep impact on how we view ourselves, especially if we are looking at it EVERY SINGLE DAY)!
4.) Ask yourself: What do I want this space to represent? When you think of your goals and intentions, you want your space to be reflective of that. So if productivity is your goal at work, your environment should be positive, inspirational, motivational, and stimulating. If you want to feel grounded and relaxed in your living room, look for things that promote more peace and tranquility.
5.) Clear clutter, deep clean, re-arrange, and feng-shui your space(s). If you work in a space that's not yours to remodel, do what you can to add touches of inspiration where you can. If you live with a roommate, see if they'll get on board with making some changes to invite new energy into your home. Energy follows intention, so whatever changes you make in your physical space will be reflected in your life.
STEP THREE: Set Some Boundaries with Your People
I don't know who said it first, but we are a reflection of the 5 people we hang out with most. Meaning: these people have serious influence on how we live, think, and believe. Now, it doesn't mean we have to drop our family and friends, but it does mean we might need to set some boundaries with those we love. For example: If you're trying to create financial freedom, having conversations with your parents about how bad the economy is, or what you can't afford, is not going to serve your efforts in getting beyond your current situation. If financial freedom is the goal, you want to be talking with and learning from those that have achieved it and those thatknow it's possible. If you want to leave your corporate job for your passion, don't engage in conversation with those who tell you you can't do it, and it's not safe or smart. Reach out to those that HAVE done it -that you trust- and ask their advice.
Basically, don't go to a Chinese restaurant if you're craving nachos.
Setting boundaries around topics of conversation (money, career, health, relationships, spirituality, etc.) with your loved ones and co-workers is a must! If the conversation is likely to go negative, don't join in on it. Simply say, "I so appreciate your opinion on this matter, and I will take that into consideration." And then change the subject! It's the kindest thing you can do for yourself AND you no longer engage in "the story" of what's NOT possible, which serves them as well.
STEP FOUR: Listen To The Good Stuff
Your thoughts have IMMENSE power, so you want to get your headspace onboard with your goals, not working against them. Write down all the negative thoughts you have in a day and what their primary focus is. These are the areas that need the most love! Good news- your subconscious thoughts and beliefs CAN be changed. But it takes conscious awareness and consistent integration of positive, more loving thoughts. The best way to do this is pay attention to WHAT you're listening to. Choose to detox from anything negative, ESPECIALLY THE NEWS. (Quick tangent- Why do I say that? Because most news programs have a biased edge to their stories, and have become so sensationalized and focused on "all that is wrong". We can't make positive change by engaging in conversations about what is not working. We need to start collaborating, and having solution-based conversations that serve the greater good of all rather than our Egos and agendas. Tangent over- thank you!)
Whatever you watch, read, or listen to is impacting your view of possibility. So, pop in a Tony Robbin's CD on your way to work, read Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning", or watch a program about people overcoming adversity. Doing little things like this raise your consciousness to a higher vibration, so that your focus becomes not "what's wrong with me? what's wrong with the world?" but "there's so much to celebrate about me and so much good I can do for the world."
You have the power and potential within you to make miracles happen! Let your environment become a reflection of all that is loving, all that is good, and all that can be.