Create Your Own Environment

We aren't talking about trees and green grass here, although those things are important too.  The environment that we are talking about is everything around you.  That includes nature, but it's so much more than that and also includes:

• Your home and what's in it
• Your friends
• The church you go to or your spiritual life
• Your food
• Your technology
• Your vehicles
• Where you live
• What you do for work
• Where you go for work
• The information you expose yourself to 
  

You get the drift...it's everything that you come into contact with on a daily basis and not just physically. All of that information and exposure creates who you are, what you think, your health, your relationships, and your lifestyle.  

You've probably heard of the concept of nature vs nurture.  To get a little geeky on you, it is also your DNA as well! Your DNA is really the only thing that will not change.  Did you know that there is a particular branch of genetics called epigenitics that is doing a lot of research on how our ENVIRONMENT can turn on or turn off certain genes?? Although we can't change our genes, this science is telling us that the excuse of "It's in my genes" may not be a reliable excuse any more.  You may now have to change it to "It's in my environment!!!"

How cool and yet scary is that?  Based on what you consume and what you come in contact with may dictate if that cancer gene, or alzheimer gene, or obesity gene actually "turns on."  It's cool because our environment is actually the one thing that we have a lot of control of.  Go back to that list above: ALL of those things you can change today!!!  Would some of them be more difficult...like walking away from a job or moving out of your house...sure, but you could still do it!  Would you do it if you knew your house was going to cause your whole family to get some auto-immune disease? Absolutely!!! What if you knew that your job increased the chances of you developing cancer? The World Health Organization actually listed shift work (working over night) as a known carcinogen!!!

I guess the reason I think this is a little scary is because now YOU are in control. There really aren't any excuses any more.  Sure, there are some environment things that you can't change unless you plan on living in a bubble...but a majority of what you come in contact with is because of a choice you make.  

If you are crabby all the time, look at your environment. Is your job creating too much stress?  Are the people you're hanging around with crabby and constantly complaining?  

If you are depressed, look at your environment. Are you getting enough sunlight/vitamin D?  Are you exercising, which is known to release good mood hormones?  Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a time and a place for medication...especially if we're talking about depression, but we turn to drugs way too soon and way too often before exhausting every other effort.

If you are overweight, look at your environment.  Are you exposing yourself to toxins that mess with your hormones and cause you to store more weight?  Are you eating whole, fresh foods?  Are you exercising?  

If you are feel empty and your life seems to have no meaning, look at your environment.  Are you watching negative news all the time?  Are you reading personal development?  How is your spiritual life? How are your relationships?  

Your environment is going to change you, but the cool thing is: YOU have the ability to change it first!