Be Aware of the Power of Your Surroundings

The influence our surroundings have on our behavior and attitudes is amazingly powerful. There are many studies that show how people easily adopt a crowd mentality or become subservient to authority. Even subtleties around us have a strong impact. A study done by Bargh in 1999 showed that students who took a test full of words associated with old age had worse memory and walked significantly slower than students who took the regular test.

Alternatively, we can also use this relationship for our benefit. How? By creating surroundings that inspire and encourage us. We can design a positive environment in our office, room or home by using pictures of our favorite people, pets, and places. We can include uplifting quotes, books, mementos, plants and even music – anything that makes us feel good. I’ve included one of my favorite quotes above. Even when we don’t pay attention to them, these “primers” are affecting our thoughts. So take a look around. How can you change the decor at work and at home to improve your outlook and wellbeing?