A lot has changed for me since a few years ago.
When I look back at how I was feeling then compared to now, the shift has been incredible.
My career, my outlook, my direction, my happiness, and my sense of fulfilment all took a turn for the better.
I suppose you could say I feel calmer, clearer, and more aligned than I’ve ever been.
And that all came from a change in environment, a change in perspective…
And boarding a plane in January 2024 with a one-way ticket to Peru.
Waking Up to Dullness
Have you ever felt stuck in a rut, at a crossroads, or a bit lost? Like you’re waking up to the nemesis of repetition? It’s like Groundhog Day – the same routine, the same four walls, the same thoughts – just a different day. Robotic almost. No feeling. No excitement. Just existing.
Back then, I didn’t know what was wrong. I knew I wanted more, and I knew something wasn’t quite right, I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
At the time, I was working for a great coaching company that specialised in going into organisations and changing the energy and culture of the people. Ironic, right? I was working for a company that was all about getting your energy right, yet mine was so off. The job was great, the people were great, the perks were great, but inside I wasn’t feeling great. My energy had plummeted to an all-time low.
At first, my energy was high. The job was amazing, and it ticked all the boxes – the dream job. I had everything… on paper. But bit by bit, I started falling into a dark hole that no one noticed – not even me – until it was too late.
Towards the end of the year, I was depleted. I wasn’t myself. I woke up crying each morning, wondering what was wrong with me. I had no motivation, no desire to be there, and I had lost my mojo.
So when my planned trip to South America finally came around, it couldn’t have been better timed.
The Energy Was Waiting for Me
Despite the tiredness from over 24 hours of travel, as soon as I stepped onto the cobbled streets of Cuzco near my guest house, I felt it – the energy. I felt alive, like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt light, happy, and excited for the first time in months.
What followed were trips into nature, constantly changing environments, and the ability to really see myself again.
The change from the four walls of my bedroom did something amazing to me. I felt different. I thought differently. I acted differently. And I noticed. Others noticed too.
I began to enjoy work again, even though I was waking up at 2am to keep UK hours. It was a small sacrifice for the joy of finishing at 11am or 12pm and exploring my surroundings all afternoon. I was happier, more content, and more productive than ever. I woke up eager to start the day instead of dreading it.
Over time, I realised that what I was missing was a sense of impact. So, I decided to go all-in on a year-long mastermind to start sharing my knowledge and helping others. I wanted to become a coach. I attended sessions, did the work, and defined my niche – all while travelling and working. It was full-on, but I was finally on the right path.
It’s All About a Change in Environment
All of this came about because I changed my environment. I swapped the four walls of my bedroom for the ever-changing landscapes of the South American countries I visited. It gave me the chance to think differently, to see and feel things in a new way.
We all think differently depending on where we are. While you can take a laptop anywhere and it will work the same way, our brains are affected by the setting we operate in. Changing your environment – particularly getting into nature – provides rich, fertile surroundings for thought.
Our bodies and brains are meant to thrive outdoors, thanks to hundreds of thousands of years of dwelling outside. We’re naturally tuned to the frequencies of the organic world.
From swapping the built environment for nature to simply changing your setting, countless studies have shown that our surroundings shape how we behave, act, and think.
One such study by psychologist Roger Barker and referenced in The Extended Mind, set out to understand why people behave as they do by recording their daily activities in minute detail. Barker and his colleague Herbert Wright followed a group of children from the moment they woke up to the moment they went to bed. They found that “the characteristics of the behaviour of the child often changed dramatically when he moved from one region to another e.g. from classroom, to hall, to playground, from drugstore to street, from baseball game to shower room.”
Our surroundings really do have the ability to change our behaviour and our thinking.
Different Surroundings Matter
If you’re feeling a bit flat lately, changing your environment could do you the world of good. You don’t have to travel thousands of miles to get results. Just shifting your routine and getting into nature, combined with some reflective questions, can be enough:
A Solo Day Trip
Take yourself somewhere new. It doesn’t have to be far – a new park, a new neighbourhood –somewhere you haven’t been before that sparks emotion, excitement, or perspective.
Try a Different Café, Library, or Walking Route
If you can’t spare a whole day, small changes still count. Choose a café, walking route, or meeting spot you’ve never been to before.
Spend Time in a New Natural Setting
We were born to be outside, so if you can opt for a new natural environment, all the better.
Once you’ve changed your environment, take time to reflect:
- How do you feel?
- What have you noticed about your surroundings?
- What do you like?
- In your life, what’s missing or what needs to change?
Ask yourself or journal:
- What makes you smile?
- What makes you happy?
- When was the last time you felt this way?
- If you could do anything tomorrow, what would it be?
- What can you do tomorrow differently from today?
- What do you need to stop doing?
- What do you need to start doing?
- What promise will you make to yourself this year?
- What are you going to do for you?
Sometimes we just need an “interrupt mode,” a disruption to our routines, thinking, and patterns. One of the best ways to do this is to change our environment and then reflect on what we truly want.
Whatever chapter of life you’re in, a change of environment can be the fresh start you didn’t know you needed.
Sometimes the clearest answers come not from thinking harder but from walking a different path, sitting in a new seat, or simply letting yourself breathe somewhere new.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
So what’s one thing you discovered that you are going to work on from now on? Have you practiced the “change of environment” therapy method? Where do you feel most energized? What environments affect you most – positively and negatively?
