DB: Dave Buck!

TJL: …..and….

SA: Susan Austin!

TJL: We'll be your 3 trainers on the area of environmental design. I want to welcome you all to this; we want to talk about designing your environment, and this is more than just the color of paint on the wall! Just to give you some background, this is a subset of personal evolution. This came out of our personal evolution course. There are 2 ways to evolve, one is to design environments that stimulate you in all sorts of different ways and the other is evolving yourself through constant experimentation. Our focus today is helping you identify the processes for designing your environments. First, why should one bother design environments? We're talking about your physical environment, your memetic environments, nature, yourself - you are also an environment. We're also talking about your thoughts and feelings, and finally, the people you know, your network. Again there are 7 environments - relationships, physical, memetic, nature, network, intangible, and self. First, let's talk about why this is a good idea. What's the benefit of having these environments designed? Dave, want to go first?

DB: You can create environments that really pull your forward, first in ways that you want to be pulled, but even more compelling than that, you can design your environments so that you can change and grow in ways you never even expected. It's like meeting a new friend - you get introduced to new experiences, places to go, things to think about, and so on.

TJL: That's the idea. The old way of growing and developing yourself was using willpower, setting your priorities, etc.; it's so much work. I always rely upon my environments to guide me, bring me new things, to motivate me - I don't rely upon myself and it's so much easier. Susan, did you want to contribute to this?

SA: Yes, did you actually sit down and go through the 7 environments and come up with each one of them?

TJL: Yes, I did. First, when I cleaned, I used to put on dance music to get the job done. It wasn't until we came up with personal evolution that I took the time to identify these 7 environments, and took the time to go through each one to figure out ways to make it a designed environment. In my physical environment, I need to have art on the wall to stimulate me to think in unexpected ways. I use art as a way to nourish, inspire, and stimulate - that's just one example. Again, I went through the 7 environments - I subscribed to Wired magazine, something I'd never read before, and I know that the magazines I subscribe to will inspire me in unexpected ways.

DB: And that goes both ways. People make a choice for example, to no longer watch the evening news because it's too disturbing. You can either put things out that don't inspire or add things in that do inspire you.

TJL: Yes - the idea is to tweak what you currently have and look at them as environments. Again, use environments to stimulate your life.

DB: Think about ways to meet people you normally wouldn't meet, or pick up reading materials at the newsstand that you normally wouldn't read - just little things can stimulate you in all kinds of ways.

TJL: The challenge is - one of the environments is the intangible - people get their energy from different sources. If you want to feel happy and nourished every day, what would you do to your environment so that feeling would be created every day? What could you do to make that part of your life much better? That's tricky; the first real step is to get your arms around the idea of letting your environments pull you forward.

SA: You're saying the environments are already there; the trick is to start using them to your advantage.

TJL: Well said! You can start relating to things much more intimately just by looking at your environments more closely. As you begin to look at things that affect you during your day, you'll notice lots of things you've never noticed before. It puts you in the position like an interior designer in a house. You're in the design mode to design your environments in the way you want to be impacted.

DB: Most people overcome their environments to get done what they get done, and the idea here is to get your environments to carry you.

TJL: There's something to be said to having a collaborative relationship with your environments. Next, you want to identify the design elements in your 7 environments that you want to improve. It's a simple process and it's fun; you're in the designer role, rather than just serving as the recipient of something created by someone else.

The 3rd thing you do is design an environment that will help you put in place step #2. Maybe you'll sign up for a course at Coachville, buy a new book or something else; you're actually delegating the job to the environment to teach you. It may be something as simple as bringing your spouse or friend in on the project. Don't assume, though, that you're going to get it done; I make sure I set up an environment so it gets done in spite of myself.

DB: The comment I would make is to really have fun with it. That's the most important thing - you want to do this is in a flowing and fun way, rather than making it a project.

TJL: Good; Susan?

SA: I'm thinking that I've been successful in spite of my environments, and I think it would be neat to flip it around.

TJL: One last thing is that you want to take the idea and by investing time and resources, in the long run, you'll be able to do more than you ever could before. Okay, Susan and Dave, thank you very much. Hosts, please turn off the real audio at this point, and begin working on the exercises with your group.

(moment of silence)

TJL: Great; we're still being taped. This portion is for the study group hosts to go through before the session. For those of you on the line, this is your opportunity to ask questions or get additional clarification on the topic.

XXX: When you're talking about the environments, and you listed the 7 of them - how would you define what's in nature?

TJL: It's one of the 7 environments, and obviously would include the seasons, being outdoors, and the light that occurs in nature. I calibrate myself in nature several times during the year - skiing, hiking, taking a road trip - getting myself into nature.

DB: I make sure at least once a week I spend a couple of hours hiking in a park - that's just something I have to do. When I'm out there hiking, I get interesting ideas.

TJL: And there's really a natural calibration process that occurs when one puts themselves in nature.

XXX: If this is the first time someone's ever heard of this concept - what would you recommend them to start on first?

TJL: I can think of a couple - memetic, and physical. In your physical environment, you can change the walls, change your zip code, clean out your closets, change the lighting in your house - all things you'll get an immediate impact from. Also, for your memetic environment - put yourself in reading or idea environments that are outside what you normally engage in. Also, in relationships, you can talk to your spouse or significant other. If you're in a relationship, talk about being an environment with the other party - it can open up a pretty cool conversation.

DB: Yes, and hang out with people you don't normally hang around with. They'll give you new ideas and talk about things you wouldn't hear otherwise.

XXX: I'm having a hard time with having the environments do it for me - I want to make lists and schedule it to make it happen.

TJL: That's a good question. Dave?

DB: We have a program called personal evolution, and we talk about how it's natural to want to make lists, and so on. When you put yourself in that environment, then you'll naturally start making changes that you don't have to put on a to-do list.

TJL: Just make one decision, and you'll then get stimulated by that environment to do all sorts of other things. Does that answer your question?

XXX: Yes, it did.

DB: The idea is to have those lists come from the environments you've set up, rather than the other way around.

TJL: Yes; who else has a question?

XXX: I'm a little out of my environment, but I have a question - I lived in California and moved to Ohio. How do I take this new environment and make it a positive environment instead of a negative environment? My whole physical environment has changed, but I want to use it for a positive source. Isn't that what you're talking about?

TJL: If I moved from California to a place I didn't resonate with and I didn't have any choice about it, I could either have a very empowered interpretation about how to make the most of that environment, or I could focus and spend more time in virtual environments that I click with. Hang out with people on the phone more or travel once every 3 weeks or 6 months to those environments.

XXX: If you're open to the environment, what can you do with the - are there things you should look for in an environment? Do you just find other things to look for that are different in that environment?

TJL: You can certainly find things; there are often subtleties around you. Seattle is really gray, but after living there, I've learned there are 42 shades of gray! Before it was just kind of bleak; there may be things that are just waiting to be discovered.

DB: I think that's exactly right. You can also use that as a reason to talk to people. What the best thing about Ohio? What are things you like to do? That whole experience could inspire you.

TJL: Just get to appreciate parts of it that might not be visual.

XXX: Got it; thanks.

TJL: Great question. Who has another question?

XXX: One thing I found is that I'm a person who goes to sleep really late and wakes up around 9 or 10 a.m. I've found that by shifting that and getting up with the sun is really energizing.

TJL: As a chance to experiment and see how it impacts you.

XXX: Then, there's a very practical thing like getting wireless internet connection for your laptop, so you can use it everywhere.

TJL: Very nice!

XXX: It gives you a chance to be in several environments at the same time - being in nature, sit on your front porch, talk to friends around the country via email, and so on!

XXX: The worksheets that come with this will include the 7 environments and include some examples?

TJL: Yes, you'll go through them and think about 3 changes they want to make to each environment. Anybody else? Let's debrief then. I'm curious as to what you found intriguing with this call today.

XXX: I found a couple of things - one thing is that you are in control of your own environment. I think it's a good idea to be changing.

TJL: Thank you for that. Who else wants to share?

XXX: I think it would be to create a great environment!

XXX: I got that there's 2 distinct things to play - just the experimentation itself - intentionally changing things just to see how it affects you. Then, the other is to take some of the things you like and add them to your life.

TJL: Yes - you said something important: changing things to see what happens. That's a pretty cool skill set if you're willing to experiment. Who else learned something?

XXX: I liked the word the person just used - "intentional". It's intentionally looking at each environment so you don't just get bogged down and stuck in one place. Intentionally be attentive to each one of them.

TJL: Yes - a holistic approach, rather than just a single thing that will make the biggest change. Anyone else? It was a great call; thank you all - have a great day!