Your Environment Isn't Neutral - It's Either Feeding You Or Draining You
Sometimes Seeing Differently Starts With Where You're Standing
Hello creative friends,
I’ve come to strongly believe that your environment is part of your creative process.
Not just your studio or the chair you sit in, but the world around you.
The trees outside your window.
The soft morning light.
The noise or the quiet that surrounds you while you work.
All of it matters.
Noticing What Feeds You
There was a period not long ago when I felt old. Not physically, but in possibility. As if the page had already turned and I’d missed my chance to become anything new.
I remember thinking, well, this is just how it is now.
But environment can change everything.
When we lived in Arizona, inspirational activity felt easy. We were outside all the time. I was moving my body, breathing fresh air, connecting with neighbors on hikes and bike rides. I felt energized and open.
When we moved back to Rhode Island 3 years ago, I noticed how quickly I slipped into stillness…and not the nourishing kind. The kind where something inside you starts to dim. Where outward movement looses importance and cocooning feels far better.
Arizona woke something up in me. The blue skies. The desert light. The fact that you could go for a walk any day of the year without snow boots. My spirit started moving again. I felt more alive.
Now we’re back in Rhode Island for the most beautiful reason, family and our new grandbabies.
The rhythm here is different. Slower. Darker. The days shorter. The seasons are more defined.
If I’m not intentional, it’s easy for my more introverted nature to take over and that quiet to dull my edges.
A New View Can Wake You Up
So I’ve been learning this. If I can’t change my location, I can shift my environment.
That might mean walking near the water, even bundled up. I did miss the water.
Finding a library or café that feels inspiring to write.
Planning a small day trip to see something pretty.
Rearranging the room where I create, which I am currently doing.
This isn’t about packing up your life and moving across the country. It’s about noticing, adjusting and asking yourself some simple questions.
What would make this space more supportive?
What would bring a little more light into my day?
What aligns with who I am right now?
Maybe it’s a plant by your desk.
A short ritual walk before you write.
A playlist that centers you.
Permission to take a small trip, a staycation, or explore a new neighborhood.
You don’t have to upend your life to feel more creatively alive. You just have to remember that your environment is a collaborator.
Creating Space to Create
A creative space doesn’t have to be a full studio. It just has to invite you in to play and explore.
For me, a clean, prepared, organized environment helps.
For you, it might look completely different.
A corner of your bedroom
A bench at a park
A seat by the window in your favorite café
A quiet room at the library
What matters is intention.
Conscious Living
I spoke about this form of designing on my podcast, with a very intuitive architect, Talor Stewart. If this topic interests you, you might enjoy hearing his perspective and ideas.
Creativity isn’t only about making art.
It’s about how you see.
Until next time,
Pam
Your environment as collaborator is a lovely thought. Ain't that the truth.
My creative space is on my dining room table or at a dinner tray set up in the living room or on a table on my front porch. I’ve even drawn flowers in my car between door dash pickup/deliveries. For me a dedicated space seems too formal. Although I have thought of creating one for years now.