Environmental Vitality: Springtime Journey to Vitality
We are intimately and integrally connected to our surroundings, and those surroundings have a profound effect on the way we feel. This is the foundation of the Environmental Vitality Domain. Over the course of our conversations about this domain, several themes emerged:
1. Everything we choose to have around us speaks to who we are. We actively decide to surround ourselves with things, and those things symbolize the choices that we have made in life.
“I need to touch it. Like feel it. Lots of natural elements such as stones to hold. I have them in every room. I have a peppermint diffuser and that adds to the open air. Blinds open during daylight.”
“I have paintings that reflect things I like…lots of pics of family/ancestral ‘things’ that connect me to my direct ancestors and African masks around the house representing that pan-African lineage.”
“[In my home, people] would see the white board, chalk board, microscope, instruments, desks and computers everywhere. The kids are always learning.”
“I learned from a children's book when my kids were little . . . ‘you can have stuff, or you can have space, but you can't have both!’”
2. A cluttered house is a cluttered mind. Clutter was a constant theme in our conversations, with many attendees emphasizing just how much clutter can affect their health and well-being. If clutter is a buildup that blocks our ability to focus on our vitality, we must improve our surroundings. This allows our surroundings to support us in an optimal way.
“I work in many areas and I have tried ignoring the clutter in different environments…I realize that does not work. So, each morning I spend 10-15 minutes cleaning the day’s work area.”
“[A clean house] makes me feel free. If my house is messy, I go for a long walk in nature. Then I can come home and clean. It’s a win/win. Inside and outside environment set right.”
“For me, if it's cluttered, I cannot relax.”
“When it's clean, fresh and organized, I feel better. I feel lighter and less weighed down.”
3. Your house reflects your values. Each room in the house tells a story—and you decide what that story is! How does each space in your home mirror and support your holistic vitality? How can you build off those values in your space to nurture your Environmental Vitality?
“When my home is at peace, I am at peace.”
“I love bringing the outdoors in - open windows and doors and bringing in blooms from the yard to connect to it.”
“I need my spiritual life reflected in my living spaces.”
“My surroundings affect my mental health. If my surroundings are not positive, it affects my productivity.”
4. Let’s be intentional with our relationship to Mother Earth. Lowering our day-to-day impact on the planet and nurturing our relationship with our surroundings leads to environmentally sustainable life choices. This is key to building a well-balanced approach to our health and well-being.
“We use, reuse and repurpose before we recycle just as my grandma did. It saves so much money on things we don't need.”
“Organized space means I spend less because I ask ‘do I really need this?’”
“Beautified the neighborhood help[s] to keep my children [and] community safe.”
“Donations, recycling paper, recycling plastic and I never throw out trash on the streets. I love to keep my town clean for me and everyone else.”
If you’re interested in joining us for more conversations during our Springtime Journey to Vitality, register for more upcoming webinars!
Want to see more of the conversations from our Environmental Vitality week previously? Check out the recordings and slides below:
Monday, May 10, 2021, at 12:00pm CT
What is Environmental Vitality? with Katthe Wolf
Recordings | Presentation Slides
Tuesday, May 11, 2021, at 12:00pm CT
What Does Your Home Say about You? What Do You Want it to Say? with Katthe Wolf
Recordings | Presentation Slides
Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at 12:00pm CT
Finding Joy in Order with Sarita Sashington
Recordings | Presentation Slides
Thursday, May 13, 2021, at 12:00pm CT
Plant-Based and Zero Waste: Options for a More Sustainable You with Jennifer Johnson
Recordings | Presentation Slides