Have you ever found yourself walking away from someone you just met and felt as though you smell like them even though there was no contact?
It happens to me and it got me thinking about how we can be affected by what we’re surrounded by. It’s not just smells by the way.
No matter what we surround ourselves with, it eventually impacts us. It happens in many different ways.
Surround yourself with fresh flowers and it impacts how you feel. Surround yourself with uplifting and creative people, they’ll impact how you feel. Put yourself in a natural environment like a park or the coast and it impacts how you feel.
This is common knowledge. I mean, I know it’s no revelation for you. But I believed something slightly different. And it messed me up.
I spent time in places and with people I wouldn’t usually choose to.
Why? Out of obligation. So I decided I’d make the most of the situation and see if I could impact and change the environment (people) around me. Stupid move.
I was up against the odds. There was no way I was going to have any kinda of substantial impact on these people. They were way too stuck in themselves to change.
Here’s where I got it wrong. I wanted to change these people. I believed that I could help them. I saw their “problems” and I was determined to fix them.
It took a long time for me to realise that I was focussed on the wrong thing. They didn’t want me to change a thing about them. And the more I tried, the more they resisted. The truth is, I was being arrogant, believing I was going to help them.
It got worse though, because I tipped the scale the other way. I decided to do nothing about them and how much time I spent with them. So I just sat in their space unconsciously bitching to myself about these people.
The result? I became so much like them that it was really hard for me to pull myself out and get my shit together.
Basically, I was being complacent with what was around me and I wasn’t aware of it. So I asked for help from people around me and I began to change what I surrounded myself with. Photos, people, music, books, plants, etc. These things contribute to our overall environment.
Change your surroundings to suit how you want to feel.
We’re like sponges. We will absorb whatever we come in contact with. Instead of trying to control what you absorb, change what you’re surrounded by and then you’ll absorb that instead.
That includes people, objects, books, pictures, smells, colours, etc. Don’t make my mistake and try to change people, we have no right to. If you don’t like these people just change how much time you spend with them.
Personally, I’m interested in spending time with people who inspire me. The kind of people who believe they are worth what they want from their lives. Whenever I spend time with people who inspire me, it rubs off.
Change your space and you’ll change your head-space.