Welcome to the latest edition of Unlocking Your Greatness with Wendy Bjork. As an international bestselling author, inspirational speaker and guide to others, as well as founder of heartsofwellness.com, it is my mission to help others make forward progress towards living their best lives!
Our surroundings play a larger role in our mental health and well-being than we often realize. Your home, workplace, neighborhood, community and the natural external world all have a profound impact on your thought process and emotions. The field of environmental psychology studies the impact these factors have on our behavior and mood.
Certain environmental influences can be positive and beneficial to your mental health while others are harmful. It is important to understand these influences in order to make healthy choices that will positively influence your mental wellness.
Some of the most important environmental factors that affect your mental health include accessibility to healthy food, clean water and air, safety, and social support networks. Having these elements in your life can reduce stress, improve sleep quality and promote overall wellness. On the other hand, negative environmental influences can cause emotional distress, demotivate you and lead to mental health issues such as depression or anxiety. Abuse – physical, sexual or emotional – is also detrimental to your mental health as is a lack of stability and security in your relationships.
Physical exposure to pollutants in the environment can have a serious impact on your mental health. These pollutants can damage your lungs and cardiovascular system, and cause cancers, asthma and other health conditions. They can also have a psychological impact as shown by studies such as the one published in Psychiatry Research that found that children who are exposed to air pollution at age 12 are more likely to experience depression at age 18.
Other environmental influences can be less obvious but just as important for your mental health. For example, a home or office that is messy and unorganized can be stressful to work in. In addition, a lack of sunlight can cause seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and disrupt your normal sleeping patterns. Exposure to toxins like cigarette smoke or mold can also contribute to poor mental health.
Many people find comfort in an environment that is soothing and relaxing. This can be achieved by using soothing colors, comfortable furnishings and a variety of other techniques. For example, hospitals use calming colors and music to create an atmosphere that is soothing for their patients and helps to reduce stress during treatment. In addition, a supportive staff and patient-centered care are critical to the healing process.
Even the clothing colors you choose can have an impact on how you feel. This is an entire other topic for another day, there is so much related to color psychology that can make a big difference in our lives!
We are keeping life simple and some steps you can take for today are:
Choose one area of your home and assess it:
1.Can it be re arranged to be more comfortable?
2. Is there mail sitting around that can be filed?
3. How about junk drawers and closets?
Today is always a great day to decide what to do next!
Are your cupboards loaded with synthetic fragranced items? These all have a large impact on our health, and they are very sneaky about it! Listening to your inner guidance will help you in knowing you are making the right decision. That feeling you get in your gut, that’s your inner guidance or that little voice in your head. Being aware of it.
For more of a DIY approach, you can head over to the Hearts of Wellness Members Portal and begin your journey back to simplicity, freedom and wholeness!
Feel free to message me at media@heartsofwellness.com if there is other support I can provide in living your best life. Discovering and living by your personalized playbook are important steps we can create together!
As a best-selling author, inspirational speaker and Nationally Syndicated Columnist, Wendy Bjork empowers women to see beyond whatever challenges they are navigating.
She inspires them to boldly live in acceptance, live healthy and free as she teaches them to see life in a different way to fulfill their dreams that have been left on the backburner for far too long.
Her HeartsofWellness.com platform is the place for women to begin receiving the support they are seeking as they create their roadmap back to freedom and wellness with Wendy lighting their path.
As a pioneer in advocacy and mentorship, Wendy is leading a global revolution of women walking in purpose and peace as she illumines their path ahead with the light of HOPE: Harmony, Options, Peace & Empowerment.
Follow Wendy: heartsofwellness.com/newsletter
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