You are an Environment

Have you ever considered that you may be an environment for others?

Thinking of yourself as an environment can open up a new dimension of self-inquiry, and self-awareness. We normally think of environments as places we live, work and play in—like offices, living rooms, hiking trails, and football stadiums. But consider that people live, work, and play in your presence.

Thinking of yourself as an environment requires you to step outside your normal perspective and look at yourself through the eyes of someone coming into your presence. What is their experience? What kind of presence are they coming into? How are they impacted? Do they feel safe, listened to, inspired? Does their thinking get creative, sharper and more rigorous? In your presence, do people feel criticized and judged, or do they feel supportively challenged to step up to be their best?

What kind of environment do you want to be for others? Try writing 5 words that describe the environment you want to be. Words like creative, challenging, safe, energetic, provocative, calm, or fast-paced.

Then think of one behavior you could amp up in order to be that kind of environment for others. Have fun with it.