New Space, Same Shit
A change of scenery is not a magic bullet.
My wife and I have just moved into a new home. Despite incredibly uncertain times, political insanity across the country, an insane economy, and all else, we bought a house.
For the first time in more than a decade, my office space is wholly my own (as in not limited by being a rented apartment space or a shared space in the home). As part of that, before moving in, I painted it my favorite shade of blue.
I have read that blue is one of the best colors for productivity. So, bonus! In the space where I do nearly all my work, being enfolded in my favorite color with the extra value of increased productivity is a huge win.
So, why is nothing coming to me for this weekly post?
I’ve spent almost two hours in front of my keyboard pondering a topic. That was getting me nowhere. So, I read some other blogs to see if they inspired me. Nope. I took a shower. That made me feel a bit better, but still nothing.
New space, same shit.
Ah, but there is a lesson here. The lesson is this – It all comes from within.
No matter what “it” is, the origin is inside me. New space, same shit, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s still an opportunity.
The minimal impact of environment
I have read countless stories from other writers and creatives along this line. They spent a lot of time and energy creating the perfect space, the best environment they could to spark their creativity. To do this, they got the right desk, the best chair, the most thoughtful lighting, and the like. They arranged, rearranged, and adjusted. Then, they got to work.
Or, rather, they made another adjustment. No, that’s not in quite the right spot, so it needs to move before I can get started. Oh, yeah, I gotta check my email. Hey, was that my phone? Let me check. Did I play my game today? I should do that for a few minutes. Then the work will get started.
No matter the environment you find or create for yourself, its impact on you and your creative work is utterly minimal. That’s because all of it, every element of your creative self, begins within you.
My new office space is great, and the new chair I got is both comfy and supportive. Hell, this new mechanical keyboard I acquired makes the most satisfying clacking sounds as I type. Yet I still spent all that time this morning staring at a blank screen and coming up with nothing.
Hence, environment has almost no impact.
It all comes from within.
New space, same shit
Have you ever gone somewhere to do your work remotely? Have you worked or tried to work from a park, a coffee shop, or a different room in your home? Has it helped increase your productivity and/or desire to do your work, or just been more of the same shit? I’ll bet it’s mostly been the same shit.
New space, same shit. So what? Well, this is a learning opportunity. And the more I learn the more I gain in my life and the more I experience.
One of the biggest problems in society today is resistance to change. Specifically, progress. So many people are utterly convinced that they are being left behind by this, that, or the other thing, that they act against their own best interests. How the hell else do you explain Trump getting the majority of the Latinx vote despite his threats to deport so many of them? Because the idea of the “other” and similar external factors destroying what you already have is so prevalent.
New space, same shit, is not just applicable to the literal, but the metaphorical. That’s because the outside world has far less impact on us than we believe. Yet over and over again, you and I are shown all these examples of how people, places, and things outside of us impact us.
Do they? The truth is that they do, but not how you think. They make an impression, they inspire or discourage, but they only impact you if you take them in and allow them to. Specifically, if you let these outside influences dictate who, what, how, where, and why you are.
To and from without and within
That’s not to say that there isn’t some validity in this. Unless you’re a hermit or live alone in a cave, you interact with the world around you. There are people you might share your space with, coworkers you see and interact with daily, children you are responsible for, and so on. You might not, as such, be totally free to do precisely what you desire to do.
Yet the truth remains that it all comes from within. Your beliefs, values, and habits begin in your subconscious mind, which is about as far within you as anything in the Universe can be. What’s more, there is nobody else at all who is inside of your head, heart, or soul. You, and only you, know yourself.
Some find this daunting. I find it empowering. I can use this to make new choices and decisions to be who, what, where, how, and why I desire to be. This is a regular, daily, even hourly occurrence – if I choose it.
There are times when rote, routine, and autopilot are good and helpful. Yet they are always subject to change, and via active, conscious awareness – i.e., mindfulness – they can be changed. This just requires me to recognize and acknowledge my thoughts, feelings, approach, intentions, and actions therein.
New space, same shit is determined by you
This might be a new space, same shit, but that’s wholly on me. Recognizing and acknowledging that it all comes from within, I can work with me new space to create new shit and do things to move my life forward as I desire to.
I am thusly empowered, and so are you. And just like that, the screen is no longer blank, and I feel renewed, and restored.
It all comes from within. New space, same shit is just a starting point to find and/or create new shit. I’m excited to see what I will make from this new space.
What will you do with the knowledge that your environment is minimally impactful, as it all comes from within?
This is the six-hundred-seventy-fifth (675) exploration of my Pathwalking philosophy. These weekly essays are my ideas for – and experiences with – applying mindfulness and positivity to walk along a chosen path of life to consciously create reality.
I share this journey as part of my desire to make a difference in this world and empower as many people as I can with conscious reality creation.
Thank you for joining me. Feel free to re-post and share this.
The first year of Pathwalking, including expanded ideas, is available here. Check out Amazon for my published fiction and nonfiction works.
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