Creating environments that pull you forward

Beatrice Levy

Creating environments that pull you forward

Your environment greatly impacts how you feel physically and emotionally. As coaches, we need to be aware of this and set up our environments for ease, productivity, and joy. And we need to help our clients do the same. There is so much to gain by setting them up in a way that helps us feel peaceful and productive and nurtured and focused.

A properly and intentionally created environment for work and home life simply feels better. This isn’t about productivity per se although that is an added benefit. Its about feeling good and relaxed and focused in your space. This helps everything in your life as a woman and as an entrepreneur.

First, the space needs to be simple. I say this with complete compassion for those of you who like a lot of fluff and extravagance. Comfort, warmth, beauty, and functionality are fine but if its not one of those things, try to eliminate it. Think clean lines with functional objects around you that bring you joy. Don’t have any more than you need. Don’t keep things that are overly complicated, overly electronic, or cold/industrial. Minimize the number of things. This reduces visual clutter, which improves focus. You don’t have to be a minimalist to minimize the number of things. Try to keep surfaces as clear as possible.

Clean lines. This is big. Minimize curves, corners, and multiple objects on one surface. All horizontal surfaces serve as magnets for stuff. Two things on a surface beget a third so stick to one thing per horizontal surface when possible (lamp, plant, laptop, etc). This is hardest to do on workspaces and eating spaces and so just do the best you can.

Functional. The objects in your environment should serve a function. Their function can be beauty or decoration, but in that case it should truly please your senses. If its not functional, try to eliminate it. If its functional but creates visual clutter, try to create storage so that it can be behind closed doors so to speak. Out of sight, out of mind is a good thing when we are intentionally creating our environment for peace and productivity and focus.

Beautiful. As you craft your environment to propel you forward, everything should be beautiful. Everything you surround yourself with should be aesthetically pleasing. Of course, this is an ideal vision for you to work toward but as you indeed move toward surrounding yourself with more beauty, eliminate the things around you that are not beautiful.

Highest quality. The things you put in your environment should be the highest quality you can afford. Less is more. Whatever you bring in, make it purposeful, make it special, make it a quality addition to your home or office environment.

Natural materials. Whatever you are drawn to is fine, but as much as possible stick to natural materials and fibers and lighting. Minimize plastic and synthetic materials in your environment. As a coach, you are a role model for your clients and you must always be demonstrating the value that comes from putting yourself in carefully curated environments where you are surrounded by natural and healthy materials.

Plants. Have as many as you can tolerate in your environment. Fresh flowers as well. Carefully chose the vessels to hold them bearing the principles of clean lines and simplicity in mind.

This is starting to sound like an interior design lesson. But its not. Its about setting up your environment to create a sense of calm and focus so that you can move forward on your most important goals, be it conquering the world or taking a nap. Set up your environment for peace and productivity. You’ll be a better coach, a better business owner, and a better woman for it.

I Don't Feel At Home Where I Am by Regina Derieva

I don't feel at home where I am,

or where I spend time; only where,

beyond counting, there's freedom and calm,

that is, waves, that is, space where, when there,

you consist of pure freedom, which, seen,

turns that Gorgon, the crowd, to stone,

to pebbles and sand . . . where life's mean-

ing lies buried, that never let one

come within cannon shot yet.

From cloud-covered wells untold

pour color and light, a fete

of cupids and Ledas in gold.

That is, silk and honey and sheen.

That is, boon and quiver and call.

That is, all that lives to be free,

needing no words at all.