A flight over your environment

taking a bird’s eye view of your skies

An imperative part of life, is the environment in which we surround ourselves in; from our social, to living and down to the environment in our own head. All of these play a role in influencing the life that we end up living each day.

You’ve probably heard the saying, that we’re a product of our environment but have you ever taken a step back to understand how your environment is helping or hindering you in fulfilling your life.

This is a step back approach that I’ve used to fine tune the environment in which I’m surrounded by to help with the direction of my own life.

I’ve taken an interactive approach to this article, with questions to provoke some thinking and to help you to observe where you’re at and hopefully spark ideas on how you can design your own environment to how you want to live your life.

To get the most out of this to have a pen and paper ready to start your flight through your life.

Flying High

Let’s start by taking view of the environment; your bird’s eye view.

Imagine you’re a bird — soaring over the heights of your own life, wings spread out, clear skies, free to explore it all, no judgement or boundaries in sight with endless opportunities to do what you want.

As you fly through your sky — be curious. Take an honest look at what’s around you to give you the truest view. Know though wherever you are, is exactly where you’re meant to be and by observing your environment, you’re coming aware of your own birds eye view.

Look around your environment. See all the parts that make it up; similar to sticks in the nest.

Home life — bedroom, living room, kitchen, backyard, garage

Work life — home office, office, work you’re doing, flexibility, purpose

Your relationships — family, friend groups, activities, interests, sex

Your minds thoughts — positive, negative, growth or harmful

The list above is to kickstart your thought process and is by no means extensive. Though not to overwhelm yourself, just pick one area in which you want to bring your focus too.

Start by writing down the area which you’d like to look into and potentially change.

Now, within each area, think about every object, person, thing, device etc as a magnet for your attention. Each gently pulling your attention toward it — some more than others.

“Before you try to increase your willpower, try to decrease the friction in your environment.” — James Clear

By bringing awareness to these elements in your environments; of those factors that influence environment and the behaviours that stem from it. We start to create an opportunity to objectively look at what is assisting us in achieving our dreams / goals and what is not.

Below is a few questions that can help you go deeper into that area which, to start to decrease friction.

• What in that environment would you like to change?
• Is there a behaviour associated with it?
• Is the element in your control?
• What frictions points are there that may be blocking you from making the change?
• Can you decrease those friction points?
• Is there a way you can work with someone to help make the change?
• What knowledge is needed to bring about this change?
• Is your environment conducive to what it is that you want to create?

All to bring about awareness of your environment.

Whether it’s your maiden voyage or you’ve flown these skies before — a bird’s eye view is always a chance to step back and see what sticks make up your nest.

I encourage you to continue to fly often and in different skies to really get a holistic view of the aspects that create your environment, therefore your life.

To truly design your own life and fly wherever YOU want to go.