...on creating environments...

Lately I’ve been really stressed over loads of different things. In a bid to release this stress, I considered retail shopping but eventually opted for a trip to a spa. Besides, I had developed strange muscle and joint pains that I figured could benefit from a massage.

 So I call up this place I’d never been before and show up, all strung tight and anxious. I arrived and the receptionist welcomed me in a calm low voice, listened to my queries about the services offered and answered all my questions politely. The air smelled fragrant and the staff were polite but nothing had really made an impression on my mood yet.

All that changed as soon as I followed one of the staff through the next door. The hall was dimly lit by fragrant candles, with soothing music playing softly. There were a number of staff and clients but all were talking in hushed tones and walking softly. The few rooms whose doors stood open displayed massage tables overlaid with pristine white sheets sprinkled with petals. Displayed on the walls, well-chosen artwork held inspiring and uplifting sayings.

I had only taken a few steps down the hallway when I realised the greater part of my tension had already melted away. I was not yet out of my street clothes but was already feeling much better. As I changed, a funny thought ran through my mind “I wonder how these people would inform each other of a fire”.

But close on the heels of that thought was another more sobering one that stayed with me throughout my visit. Clearly these people had gone to great lengths to create an environment that fostered relaxation. Beyond the lighting and fragrances, the staff were trained to talk, to walk with measured steps and to display calm.

That really got me thinking: What kind of environment(s) am I creating? At home? At work? Does my environment foster what I claim to stand for or to believe in? When someone comes into my environment, do they immediately perceive my values or do they have to first spend hours listening to me? Even without digging very deep, I knew the answer was a resounding “NO.”

A lot of work remains to be done.