Health is not just about
what goes on inside us.
Our surroundings have a significant
impact on who we are and how we feel.
Every day you enter different environments
that can change how you feel,
both physically and emotionally.
Home work, schools,
restaurants or even churches.
Can make you feel comfortable
or uncomfortable.
Some of these environments
are out of your control,
but there are changes you could
make to the places you visit most to
improve your environmental health
and the quality of your life.
Think about a place that makes
you feel relaxed or happy.
What is it about that place
that gives you this feeling?
Is it physical? Emotional. Or both.
Now think about the personal
environment that surrounds you
during your day to day activities,
whether they are indoors or outside.
How could you make these places more
comfortable or happier places to be?
Pay attention to things such as light,
air colors, temperature and sound.
They all factor into how
you feel in an environment.
You might consider improving your
surroundings by making small changes to the
temperature radio station removing clutter.
Or even changing where you sit,
feeling comfortable in an environment
can lower your stress level and
help you function more efficiently.
Be mindful about how you feel
when at home and at work.
Also pay attention to your emotional
surroundings or interactions with others.
What changes can you make to feel
more relaxed and comfortable?
You may be concerned about your own safety
or struggle with things like clutter,
noise, bad smells,
poor lighting, or water quality.
It starts with paying attention to
the influences of your environment
on your life and health.
Improve what you can with the
simplest measures available.
You might consider visual changes
such as adding a plant,
painting the walls a different color,
or adding other types of art to your space.
It's important for your health
and well being to have a safe,
comfortable, and healthy living space.
Homeless veterans may improve their
quality of life by reaching out
to a social worker or the local
VA for housing resources.
Improving your living area is just
one of the many ways you can change
your surroundings to better suit
your physical and emotional needs.
Consider your work environment as well.
Do you sit or stand a lot during the day?
Do you have a comfortable chair or shoes?
Other things you may think about in
your work environment are protecting
yourself from exposure to harmful noises,
chemicals or dust.
Organizing workspaces or making
small changes that impact your sight,
smell, touch or sound.
Out of all the ways you may consider
to improve your surroundings,
focus on what makes the most sense for you.
Once you start to recognize how
your surroundings affect you,
you are the best person to think
of solutions that make the spaces
you are in more comfortable.
Have you made a change to your
surroundings in the past if so?
How did you feel as a result?
Is there anything in your home
or work environment that you've
been thinking about improving?
What impact would that have on your life?