There are many factors that influence our ability to reach our goals and become the version of ourselves we aspire to be. Of course, one very important factor is us. We have the ability to respond to our thoughts and feelings and choose our actions. We talk a lot about ourselves and how we can make better choices, but we aren’t the only factor that influences our success. 

The environments we spend our time in also play a huge role in our ability to move toward health. It’s important we are intentional about deciding where we spend our time and who we spend it with. 

The places we spend our time greatly influence our ability to create new habits. Building new habits is hard enough as it is. It takes a lot of time and repetition before new behaviors feel like second nature, and where we try to change our behaviors will play a huge role in whether or not we are successful. 

To give ourselves the greatest chance at success, it’s important we choose environments that support the new behaviors we are trying to normalize. 

Imagine you’d like to stop drinking alcohol. Alcohol negatively affects our health in many ways, and it’s becoming much more popular for people to recognize this and decide to stop drinking. It would be very challenging for a person who has this goal to be successful if they continued to spend a lot of time in bars or other environments where drinking alcohol is normal behavior and is encouraged. 

A person with this goal would be much more likely to be successful if they spend time in environments where it is normal and encouraged not to drink alcohol. 

Another reason why our environment is very important when it comes to moving toward health is because whether we realize it or not, we tend to adopt the behaviors of those around us. While the spaces we spend our time in will influence our behavior, the people in those spaces will also influence our behavior. Intentionally surrounding ourselves with people we want to be like will help us adopt behaviors we’d like to have instead of those we don’t. 

Lastly, the more we support healthy environments, the easier it will be for all of us collectively to become healthier. My husband, Cosmos, and I are Gotham FC season ticket holders. Gotham FC is the New Jersey/New York professional team in the National Women’s Soccer League. We’ve been going to games for a few years now, and this year attendance has incredibly increased. 

When we were at the game this past weekend, there was such a positive energy flowing through the stadium. So many people all chose to be in an environment together that encourages healthy behaviors, promotes sport, and wants to see everyone be the best version of themselves. 

As individuals, and as a society, change is much easier and is so much more powerful when we do it together. 

It’s very difficult to make decisions that move us toward health when we are in environments and surrounded by people that don’t align with our goals and the person we want to be. Take some time to audit the environments you spend your time in and notice whether or not they help you move toward health, whatever that means to you. 

The difference between helping and hindering our progress can be very subtle, so take into account the space itself, the people you’re surrounded by, and how comfortable you’d be sharing your goals with those in the space. 

Know that it’s normal to have to change our environments periodically in order to continue moving forward.