How do your surroundings at home impact your wealth?

Recently I had to move out of my house because two-thirds of my house was flooded. I stayed with my Mom for a few days in Palm Desert and then moved to the dog-friendly Embassy Suites Hotel, paid for by my insurance company.

It’s been an interesting experience, to say the least! Two dogs and me in a hotel room is kind of like being cooped up in one bedroom of our house. Imagine living in one room with 2 dogs, a small refrigerator, and operating a business! Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful to have a nice place to stay while my home is being remodeled (and I’m even more grateful to have a lovely new home to move back into), but I’ve really felt the difference in my mindset while living in a hotel.

For one thing, it’s hard to feel very grounded. I feel safe, but somehow unsettled. Security is the #1 need for women, so that creates stress. Another thing is the dogs are used to being independent and having a doggy door they can go through day or night. Now they are dependent on me taking them out for potty breaks several times a day. (I’ll even admit I’m doing something I would NEVER ever do at home – take them outside while in my bathrobe! What a sight! LOL!). I can only fit a small amount of food in the refrigerator, so I’ve had to eat out more and don’t eat as healthy of food or have my juicer. Of course, these are small things compared to what our friends on the East Coast are dealing with. I’m just amazed at how different I feel in changed surroundings. I can only imagine how they must be feeling. My heart goes out to them.

Since my house had most of the furniture temporarily emptied (although, thankfully, not all damaged), my home was a blank slate to create whatever I wanted. I decided I was done with decorating with neutral colors like beige, cream, and tan and I would really personalize my home to my liking. For the wall color, I chose a perfect shade of gray that sometimes looks light blue, picked out a lovely greige tile (after deciding travertine was too high maintenance with the dogs), and some new accents that will look smashing! I’ve fallen in love with the Imperial Trellis pattern and will be covering some walls with it. It’s become the pattern of “my brand” at home. This idea is something I’ll be including and expanding on in my awesome new “Create Your Luxury Brand” Event in May.

I’ve learned how powerful environment is to our psyche. That the quality of your surroundings impacts the quality of how you feel about yourself and your life. The hotel is nice, but it’s furnished in a harsh orange, rust, brown, and green and doesn’t feel prosperous at all! I realized what we see and look at every day is very important, especially for creative people. Then I realized, we’re really all creative people, so that’s important for everyone!

How much of your environment at home is impacting you positively or negatively? Here’s a few questions to ask yourself:

1. Is your environment cluttered? If you have clutter in your home office or around your house, it can be stopping you from moving forward. One interesting fact I read is that people who have garages cluttered with stuff have higher credit card debt. Perhaps if you’re not dealing with the clutter in the garage, you’re not dealing with other things like looking at how much you’re spending.
2. Does your environment make you feel affluent? Are the colors soothing and rich or are they jarring and out of date? Using some soft tones like in a spa can relax you and feel calming. Do you have luxurious items around you? Even a fake mink throw can feel luxurious and not cost a lot. Crystal candlesticks, or things made from nature like silver, wool, or coral can raise your feeling of affluence.
3. What pictures do you have for inspiration? Most people like the idea of vision boards with their favorite photos on them. They are inspiring and are visuals of things that please them or make them feel good. What visuals do you have around your home? You may not know that I adore Audrey Hepburn and I have books and photos of her. Seeing Audrey makes me smile and reminds me of her grace and charm. I had her books in 2 different rooms and a photo of her in another, so I brought them all into the same room and now they feel like a collection.
4. What part of your house really shows YOUR personality? Which part says, “This is me?” I love art and collect paintings, so having them on the walls feels like I’m sharing the art that inspires me (it’s a pretty nice investment too :). Put similar items together and form a collection that shows what you love, whether it’s pots hanging in the kitchen, a vision board of things you love, or a book or cookbook collection, start showing your uniqueness and bringing out the real you.
5. What small reminders do you have that move you forward on your goals? I have a favorite bulletin board that has things like a $1 million bill, a keychain that says, “FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS”, and a paperweight that looks like a diamond gemstone. Little reminders of prosperity are good to have in your environment.
6. Do you have a special space to relax, meditate, or de-stress other than your bedroom? I’m creating a mini-spa outside my bedroom with some lounge chairs so I can use that as a designated “do nothing” zone, even if it’s for 5 minutes. I also have a reclining chair that is so comfortable, sometimes I sit in it and put my feet up, close my eyes, and ask myself, “What’s needed next in my business?” Often the answer comes to me and I can move forward again.

Don’t underestimate the power of your environment to create wealth. Let it inspire you. Let it guide you. And mostly, let it de-stress you.

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