10 Oct Are you Creating Your Own Landscape?
Moss Jackson, PhD
Psychologist and Success Coach
My friend Todd Carmichael (founder of La Colombe Coffee) and I were recently talking about the notion of “Landscapes” and the impact they have on us. Todd and his partner have worked hard on creating cafe landscapes in which their customers can enjoy an excellent brew of coffee or a latte in an attractive and collegial atmosphere. I sometimes bring something I am working on, find a comfortable niche and enjoy a cup or two of rich coffee. Around me, the spacious windows allow abundant light to flow inside, allowing me to appreciate the outdoors as I give thought to whatever project I am working on.
There are other landscapes, however, that can overwhelm me and cause confusion, such as a large modern grocery store. Inside, for example, while standing in a long aisle of cereal boxes or soups, the array and quantity of choices are mind-blowing. I often feel the urge to just grab one and run out of the store. This is not an appealing or comforting landscape for me to spend much time in. I feel similarly in large department stores where hundreds of racks and shelves of sweaters, shirts and pants prey on me like swarms of slow-moving predators. I much prefer a small men’s store such as Hassis in Newtown Square, where a limited landscape of soothing, seductive and comfortable clothes speak to me in a whisper, “it’s ok, c’mon over and try me on!”
Likewise, consider your work or home landscapes. Have you thoughtfully designed these landscapes so that they provide soothing and attractive environments for you to spend time in? Personally, both home and work landscapes are attractive physical spaces where I have photos, paintings, candles and personal symbols that bring me relaxation and surround me with aesthetically pleasing experiences. After all, why would any of us want to spend time in unattractive and impersonal landscapes that could add stress to our lives?
In my work, I help people to think and act like Life Navigators! I aim to coach and teach my clients to design their lives and to create landscapes that complement and express who they are. I help them to be alert to landscapes, physical environments and people who do not enhance their well-being. We each have a personal responsibility to enhance our lives and to create life spaces in which we can thrive and not just survive.
In my books, “Navigating For Success” and my new book, “I Didn’t Come To Say Goodbye,” I explore the art of Life Navigation and creating personal landscapes that allow us to love our lives, to experience reduced stress, and limit experiences that cause us inflammation and distress. Look them up on my Navigating for Success website and see if you want to order yourself some copies.
Until my next post, enjoy the landscapes you create and protect yourself from those that attempt to rob you of your vitality and spirit.