Personal environment versus tranquility

Alchemy is the process of turning lead into gold. Internal alchemy (personal transformation) occurs when we clean up our clutter, internal and external, and let go of things that no longer serve us well. This creates balance and space, a place that encourages satisfaction, which I think is a real success. ~ Laurie Buchanan

You know how it is. The demands of life, work, family, and commitments crowd out other things that need to be done but are not urgent. Finally, you realize that you can’t bear it, that you can’t keep procrastinating in the “I’ll do it sometime” category. This is where we often relegate housework and other tedious tasks.

Here is the problem. Its environment impacts its tranquility. Her work and living spaces not only reflect her attitude, they influence her. Cluttered, dusty and cluttered spaces lead to nervous and unstable feelings.

David understood how essential the environment was. When he was a shepherd, he led his sheep into lush surroundings with plenty of food, water, and rest. He kept the herd well supplied and protected. When he wrote Psalm 23, he compared his care for the sheep to God’s care for us. From his own personal environment, he wrote: “Certainly good and mercy follow me. God restores my soul. My cup overflows!”

Do you feel blessed, surrounded by goodness and peace in your own personal environment? Do you feel happy and at peace with your environment? Now, are there a number of undone things that you keep putting off?

When God created a space for his family, he declared that everything was “very good.” Even today, we refer to beautiful and peaceful places like Eden. God wants his children to live in a beautiful and peaceful environment. Part of that peace and satisfaction comes from your inner attitudes, but the other part comes from your atmosphere. So how do you create your own piece of Eden?

Look for. First, understand that peace is actually an inside job and that you can have it regardless of what is happening around you. Jesus said: “My peace I give you … do not let your heart be troubled or be afraid.” In other words, let go of all the “things” that bother you. Instead of, Seek peace and pursue it (Ps. 34:14). To chase means to chase him, to go after him as something valuable and necessary.

My husband gets annoyed with “stuff”: the traffic, the people, the tools, his computer, the remote control. In a very real sense, practice being angry and upset. None of those things are deliberately trying to annoy him, but he allows it. He forgets to seek peace. However, it is possible to take control of negative emotions and say to yourself, “No, I am seeking peace. I will not allow myself to get angry.”

Here’s a revelation: the devil knows exactly what buttons to push in your life to get to you. He tricks you to annoy you! Don’t give it so much power. You are at the center of your personal environment. Focus on the blessings of God and remove all those negative emotions.

Look around. What you see blesses you? Does it make you smile or feel ‘hugged’? Or do all ‘things’ mix in … disorder and chaos?

My mother collected angels and birds … and dishes, and … when she passed away, I ‘inherited’ her collections. I brought them home, put them on a shelf (well, more than one!) And then had to regularly dust them off. They weren’t things that blessed me, they were just my mother’s and I wasn’t sure how to let them go.

Sometimes we create emotional bonds with physical things that become substitutes for relationships or spiritual peace. Letting go of my mom’s things didn’t change the relationship or the memories. Finally, I gave away most of the collections, and I was left with only a few key pieces that really touched my heart. Now there is less maintenance, less clutter, and the parts I have have made me smile.

Clutter is an outward sign of internal turmoil (plus a runaway schedule). How much of what do you really need? What if you downsize, rearrange, and eliminate some of the clutter? Think about it. Don’t you feel better after you’ve cleaned the house? Doesn’t the fresh smell and visual appearance make you smile?

Be aware. The things you have committed to affect your environment as well. For example, I am on various committees of different organizations. Each of them involves meetings, documents, to-do lists, and sometimes personality conflicts. It’s easy to let your calendar get so cluttered with other people’s projects that you no longer have “me time,” peacetime.

Here’s a hint: If what you’re doing no longer inspires you, it may be time to get out there. There will always be groups and organizations that do good things and need time and money. Maybe you got involved because a friend asked for your help. Maybe what you’re doing is a raid from a long time ago. Maybe it’s time to evaluate blessing vs. stress of that particular commitment. Maybe it’s time to let it go.

Check. Come into your home or office and go through it like you’re a stranger. Pretend you haven’t seen it before. What would you change? Perhaps a new coat of paint or a new set of curtains would brighten the atmosphere. Re-arrange the furniture. Add some ambient lighting. Put a new picture on the wall. Do something that makes your heart say, “Wow!” when you walk into space.

Never underestimate the power of the wow factor. It is an inner joy that says, “This is beautiful. I feel comfortable here. This is my Eden. I want to spend time in this space.”

My husband and I donate to various charities. One of them is Habitat for Humanity. Why “Because I believe that everyone should have and enjoy their home as much as we do ours. Home is a refuge, a personal Eden, and I know it is a blessing from God. The Bible says that He richly gives us all things to enjoy (I Tim. 6:17). I try to maintain an atmosphere of peace and blessing, a comforting place that I want to return home to and that friends want to visit.

Look in. Ultimately, your personal environment and personal peace are an inside job. Your decisions, or the lack of them, moment by moment, create your life and your environment. You can choose to sit on the couch or get up and wash the dishes. You can ignore the mess on the dining room table or make a decision to clear up the mess, and then keep it clean! Take responsibility for the things you do and shouldn’t … or the things you don’t and shouldn’t do.

I like to play games on my tablet. It’s relaxing and drowns out the clamor of worries and responsibilities. Problem? I can spend hours playing solitaire and then realize that I really wanted to do the laundry and clean the kitchen. My selfish choice now means I will have a dirty kitchen to look at when I wake up in the morning and no clean socks! And no one to blame but me.

Your personal environment and your peace of mind are the direct result of your choices and actions. Watch your attitude and let go of the worry and confusion. Look around you and make changes that are consistent with peace and joy. Eliminate clutter in your environment and on your calendar. Then look around you and declare, as God did, “This is very good!”