Environmental Wellness: The World Around You
This week we’ll be focusing on our environment. There’s a joke in my house – you can tell how stressed out I am by how many pairs of shoes are in the living room (this measure radically changed during COVID when I didn’t wear shoes … but it’s back!). The mail piles up, my shoes don’t get put away, and sometimes unfolded laundry sits next to my laundry folding chair. There’s a mess because I’m stressed, and the mess also stresses me out. Eventually, I tell myself enough is enough, and I take the ten minutes it takes to put it all away. Ahhh! A sense of relief! Our surroundings make a big difference in how we feel – and that’s what our focus is on today!
What does your home environment feel like? Does it feel like your space? Does it feel like home? If you’re able to decorate your space, are you choosing colors and designs that fit who you are? Is there a lot of clutter in your space? Sometimes when we’re living with our parents or other family members, or if we’re renting an apartment, we have some restrictions. Maybe you can’t paint the walls or change the carpet. You can hang art that you enjoy (Command Strips are a great way to hang stuff without damaging the walls!) or buy an area rug that you love.
Bringing nature into your space is a wonderful way to create a healing environment. If you’ve been to my office (or had telehealth sessions from my home office), you know that I’m a huge fan of keeping plants around. Research shows that exposure to nature can significantly reduce stress, reduce anger and fear, and increase pleasant feelings. Even if you don’t have a green thumb or tons of natural light, there are plants out there for you! (Pothos are wonderful hardy plants – I’ve had a few of mine for almost ten years.). It can be really fun to learn the needs and personalities of different plant species – not all plants are the same, and like people, they have different needs regarding their water and light schedules. If you aren’t able to have plants (sometimes cats are big barrier to keeping houseplants alive!), can you position yourself to view any outdoor nature? Perhaps your desk, your kitchen table, or your favorite armchair can be seated next to a window overlooking some trees. If you’re in a more urban area, bringing nature-themed art or an aquarium can help bring some nature into your space. Take advantage of natural light – drink your coffee near your brightest window in the morning to soak up some extra vitamin D – especially if you’re dealing with cold and dark New Jersey winters! If the weather is warm, can you sit on the patio or the balcony?
How cluttered is your space? We live in a very consumer based society and retail therapy is often a go-to coping method – but the problem comes when we bring all that stuff home into a space that can’t fit it all. Marie Kondo was trending for a reason – decluttering our spaces really can spark joy and reduce stress! Look around your space – does all of your stuff spark joy? When is the last time you went through your clothes to see what you don’t need anymore? Make a bag for Goodwill or set up an account on one of those online thrift store apps to donate or sell sell unwanted clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc. Ask yourself when shopping – does this purchase support the lifestyle and environment I’m trying to build for myself? Will purchasing this be respectful to my environment and my wellness? Will this purchase keep you back from any other larger goals to support your environment (such as moving out, purchasing a home, making any desired or needed renovations, etc.)?
A few of the things I like to do to support my environmental wellness include having a cleaning schedule – I have daily, weekly, monthly, and annual tasks that help support a calm, clean, and pleasant home environment. I have lots of house plants, and I enjoy a garden in my backyard. In the spring, I look for flowers for my front steps and back patio. I love mowing the lawn (there’s something really cool about making those lines in the grass!). I choose plants that bring me joy each year when they bloom outside. I choose scents for my home that I love – that goes for both candles and for my cleaning products! I don’t use anything that smells offensive to me.
What are some ways that you can support your environmental wellness? What changes do you need to make?
