I’m sure you’ve heard a version of the phrase “You’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”. Most would agree that your peers, family background and neighbourhood you grow up in influence your behaviour and socioeconomic outcomes. Indeed, like begets like; success breeds success. Research has shown this time and time again. Your environment, (including the people in it) plays a massive role in who you become.  Baby, you weren’t born this way. Your social circle and everything you were surrounded by on a daily basis played a very important role in your evolution. An emerging area of scientific research, called epigenetics, is dedicated to this very phenomenon.

So, we know our environment and the company we keep influence our moods, our state, our decisions and the way we see the world. The goal is to surround yourself with the type of people you strive to become, who inspire you to be better, and who challenge you to venture outside your comfort zone and conquer the world. Your environment, the “invisible hand” that shapes your personal characteristics, has either accelerated or hindered your results. Today, social media holds such a significant market share of our soul – that the people we “follow”; and give our attention to, must also be designed in a way that is conducive to the people we want to become.

Home sweet home.

I’ve spent years meticulously curating every aspect of my environment to elevate my state. I’ve carefully selected the plate I eat on, the sheets I sleep on, the food I eat and the podcasts I listen too. I create keepsakes that remind me of the happiest times of my life, play music that moves me and read books that expand my brain. If it’s in my space, it’s there for a reason. I found that as I uncluttered my outer environment, my inner environment became more calm. As my surroundings became more beautiful, my soul became lighter. As I cherished the small things, the larger things began showing up out of nowhere.

I changed the language I used. Instead of decorating my apartment, I was curating my home. I’d imagine as though I was choosing art for the walls of the Louvre. My environment is designed in a way to promote success. I light candles when I want to slow down. I leave my favourite water bottle out on the counter to remind me to hydrate. What a beautiful thought, to think of life as a work of art. 

To friend or not to friend.

Our thoughts come from what we consume. Our behaviours come from our thoughts. Who we become is a function of our behaviour. So, why do we spend so much time mindlessly consuming garbage on social media? It’s time to get intentional about your feed. Set aside time every few months to refine what gets your attention. Does it inspire, motivate or make you laugh? Or does it leave you empty inside? Check in with the way something makes you feel. If it doesn’t elevate, eliminate.

Nothing has moved the needle more in my life than my little curation practice. When I realized I had the choice to craft my environment the way that I wanted, and became mindful of what or who I let in, I saw major shifts in my life. Something beautiful happens when you spend more time admiring life as opposed to criticizing and wishing it were different. We have the ability to choose who and what we surround ourselves with.

What is lying around your home and lurking in your social feed? Consider what aligns with the person you want to become and what doesn’t. The goal is to create an environment that makes you feel joy, creativity, gratitude and inspiration. The more you feel these emotions on a regular basis, the more they’ll start showing up in unexpected places.