Wellness advocates talk of finding balance in our lives. This may include eating a balanced diet of fruit and veggies; a balance of exercise and even a balance of work versus play. I talk of meditation as a lifestyle tool; a journey in mindfulness. When you think of meditation you think of inner space; self-discovery and enlightenment. The mind seems small but when you stop to think of where a thought arises and where it goes; the boundaries of a mind can seem vast, almost boundless.
We all have this quantifiable inward space; the realm of our mind; feelings and emotions, relaxation and anxiety; thoughts, memories and dreams, etc. What about outward space – our exterior surroundings? We always talk about finding a balance within our bodies but we rarely talk about balancing what is inside with what is outside as ONE. Take our homes and offices for example. When you walk into another person’s personal space you can learn a lot about what is going in that person’s life by how organized and neat they are – you can learn a lot about what is going on inside a person by their clothes, wall decorations, cleanliness and mementos. Our exterior environments or our personal spaces are direct extensions of our inner realm; the mind. A person that is messy on the outside most likely has a cluttered mind on the inside; a mind with thoughts running rampant with fear and fantasy; past and future; rarely connected to the present. The opposite for the uncluttered minimalist can also be true; a mind of awareness and clarity, space and positive energy.
The art of happiness and wellness is finding a balance between our inner realm of mind and our outer realm of intent and action. It really should be a seamless division. It begins with space. Space within the mind can be boundless and relaxing or closed off and anxious. Our living and working environments need to transcend the meditative goal of wellness, energy and space. Our personal environments can be small, but they should be inviting, empowering and relaxing; a refuge, a sanctuary.
So, as we continue to be mindful and aware of what is going on inside our brains and body, let’s also be equally aware of what is going on in our exterior environment; as they are connected. Be mindful of the clutter and how to better organize your belongings. Be mindful of what makes you happy and relaxed and carry that from your mind to your exterior world.
Here is an example: Though I live in Chicagoland, my bedroom walls are adorned with prints and paintings from Hawaii. I love the Hawaiian Islands and though my career is in the Midwest my heart is somewhere in the tropics. I purposely surround myself with images of the ocean, beach and sun because these images bring me peace and happiness. There are some things we can’t control, but we can control what we think and what surrounds us. Be mindful of that… create your own positive space within and without.
Remember, clutter in the mind and in our surroundings suffocates us. Less is more and finding a balance both inward and outward is the evolutionary goal in self-discovery. Find that balance and you will find betterment.
John C. Bader
About the Book: www.responsiveuniverse.com
Now Available: Amazon Barnes & Noble
The Responsive Universe on Facebook
John,
Less is certainly more. The older I get the more I realize that I have no need for more stuff. Recently I devoted lots of time to divesting myself of useless stuff and I found myself thinking more clearly and feeling more relaxed.
All the clutter was, somehow, stressful.
Cheers,
Marc
Hi Marc – yes, my wife and I have found this to be true too and have been slowly simplifying our life – JCB
Hi John. I’ve told I’m too connected too my inner world – to my thoughts, emotions and feelings. I need to balance it with outer reflection so I don’t get swayed away by feelings, as that tends to happen. I was wondering if you could tell me more about ‘outward reflection’?
Regards, Sarah.
Hi Sarah.. . I would imagine there are several facets to this. I guess the first question is – do you project your inner feelings and energy outward on people? Is it positive or negative? There is nothing wrong with being connected to your inner feelings, thoughts and emotions (positive or negative). I would consider that mindfulness and thus you are operating at a much higher level. The key though is how you project that energy outward. Is it rooted in True Nature or Ego? I connect my inner and outer world with meditation, exercising outside; being mindful that my thoughts and actions are not rooted in ego. The best way to marry the inward world with the outward world is to get out in nature. It will clear your mind; new ideas will arise – it’s a meditation that binds the inward and outward world as one. When you are with others, just be mindful of your words and actions so that you are projecting positive energy and not negative energy – Thanks for visiting my blog! JCB
Selim sk