Creators of Our Environment

We’ve all heard the phrase: “We are products of our environment.” This is true, but I believe that we are also CREATORS of our environment. Nothing about our environment has to be permanent. Don’t like your job? Find a new one. Something about your house that you hate? Move. Friends not lifting you up the way you want? Forget them, and make new friends. Coworkers putting you down and not helping you succeed? Find new coworkers to surround yourself with, or seek out ways to see if these issues can be resolved.

*Disclosure: There are some affiliate links below, but these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used. See my full disclosure statement here.

The list of negativity in environments is endless. This also includes negative cognitions that you constantly tell yourself. Self-reflection is a key ingredient in personal growth and development. Knowing what works in your life, what doesn’t work, or what could be improved are essential in the beginning steps of goal planning.

How do we know what to change?

We first have to take a step back and figure out what we like and don’t like in our life. The perfect way to do this taking a key priority assessment, which I’ve talked about in my goal setting blog posts for January, February, and April. I’ve also, in detail, explained this process in my goal setting ebook which is set to release by the end of June 2018. (I am super pumped about this, so if you haven’t signed up for the email list, you do so here!) Knowing what areas of your life are lacking in fulfillment is the first step in creating an environment that is positive and leads to successes.

How did I do it?

I’m still a work in progress, and will always be as such. But, in the past 2 years, majority of it in the past year, I have made new friends and better align with my current goals and needs, cut out a couple of toxic relationships (even though they were long friendships), changed careers and better developed my planning and goal setting progress (have I mentioned how excited I am about my book being released?).

This was all a learning process for sure. Some of it I didn’t want to let go, others I jumped at the opportunities. But, all of it wasn’t without struggle. I didn’t want to let go of the friendships because they were old friends. But, toxicity shined through and I eventually had to let it go. The new friends I have made proved to me, over and over again, what a true friendship looked like and what I have been missing from my life. Because of them, I was able to let the toxicity go and I haven’t looked back yet.

Don’t know how to spot a toxic relationship?

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered in my “Signs of a Toxic Person” blog post.

One year ago, I decided to change careers. A new job, working with other spinal cord injuries, almost fell into my lap and I could not pass it up. Sure, I would be taking a major pay cut, and I now commute an hour to and from work, but I could not be happier. I was a teacher for 10 years, and I did enjoy that job, but this job is my passion. My passion has grown over the years to helping other spinal cord injuries life a high quality life – whatever that meant to the person. There is so much life after a spinal cord injury and I have grown so passionate about helping others see that potential in their life. Even though I have to really worry about money and stick to a budget (which I am terrible at), I would make this decision over and over again. My happiness is worth it.

And so should yours!

I want to urge you to take a look at your life. Assess your key priorities (January, February, and April blog posts – or stay tuned for my ebook), and start making goals to rid your life of toxicity and start living a happy, joyful life.

Here are 5 ways to start removing Negatives and replacing them with Positives

1. Start everyday with a token of Gratitude. One simple statement about what you are grateful for will start your day with thankfulness and positivity. I recommend you write this statement down in a planner or journal of some sort. I keep mine in my bullet journal.
2. Assess your key priorities and develop 10 goals to improve them.
3. Get rid of toxic relationships in your life. This may be the most difficult, but will definitely be the most rewarding.
4. Adopt some positive affirmations and say them OUT LOUD when negative cognitions sneak in.
5. Schedule time for self care. You can’t help others or be the best version of yourself if you don’t take time to recharge. Take a bath, go for a walk, read, binge watch Netflix – do whatever it is YOU need to do for you.

As always, leave me some feedback either here – below this post, e-mail me (megs@thewheellifeblog.com), or on any of my social media platforms! (FB/IG/TW @wheellifeblog and Snapchat @megsh8). I would love to hear from you and what I can do to help. If there is ANYTHING that you want to hear about – please let me know! I can’t do any of this without YOU, so I would love to connect with you!

Let’s keep those happy thoughts, productivity and self-care going! Live honestly, passionately, and with kindness!

Megs