Braving New Environments

Wholehearted living is what we are embarking on this year! As described in last week’s blog, this is when you dare greatly in all areas of your life, even when you’ve been burnt before. Along with a new year, for some people, this includes entering new environments. You may be entering a new work place, starting high school, moving to a new town, or any new situation. The challenge with entering new environments is that you’re now tasked with two things. One – Get to know the place. How it works, who forms part of this environment, and what is expected of you. Two – You get to decide for yourself what impact you’re going to have on this environment.

Yes, you read right. Oftentimes we think that others shape and influence the type and intensity of the impact that you make on the environment. Or we tend to think that the only impact that will be made, is by the environment on us. But truth be told, it is you and you alone that is responsible for figuring out what kind of impact you want to have on the environment, and how you’re going to execute it. The mistake that we all make when we get into a new place is that we feel the pressure to be perfect. We feel the pressure to place every toe in line and to tick all of the boxes on the checklist. I’m not saying be a rebel, but trying to be a perfectionist will get tiring very quickly.

We are human beings! We cannot attain perfectionism because we are imperfect. In trying to figure out how we’re going to impact our environments we need to let go of the idea of perfectionism because that path is not going to show us what our gifts and purpose is. As Brene Brown writes it, it is the hazardous detour that shows us our gifts and purpose.  It is the hazardous detour that shows us what we’re made of and what we have to offer. So what am I saying? I’m saying don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to get lost in the hallways and end up in a lecture theatre on the west side of campus instead of the east side. At least now you’ll know where the west side is.
Do not be afraid to bring yourself wholly into the space. We can physically be in a space, but be somewhere else mentally and emotionally. Bring all of you! You cannot impact anyone or anything when you are compartmentalising yourself. Be who you are and own it! Bring all of your skills and expertise with you. Don’t leave your hobbies at the door (except of course if napping is a hobby of yours, don’t bring that to work), don’t leave your creativity at the door.


Truth is, you are in that environment because you’re supposed to be there. You earned that degree that got you this job, you earned the grades you needed to make it high school, and you earned that new leadership position. Own it! I think that sometimes we shy away from new environments because they put our identity into question. If you’re secure in who you are, what you possess, and the brilliance of your uniqueness. Then braving new environments will not be a hard task for you. 
I am an Occupational Therapist by profession, but I have many roles that bring meaning to my life. In short, I love people, books and love.

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