The Power Of Your Environment

In this talk, Lou shares a powerful message about the importance of surrounding yourself with the right environment to unlock your full potential. Using the metaphor of a road trip, he illustrates how your surroundings influence your progress. He encourages you to evaluate your environment and seek out communities that uplift and support your dreams.

Transcript

Hello,

Welcome.

My name is Lew Redman and thank you for listening to anything that I have to share.

I hope this message is supportive for your journey.

Speaking of journeys,

I'd like you to begin by imagining that you are on a summer road trip from Oklahoma to New York City.

Maybe you get a sense of if you're in the States,

You know what that is.

And if you're not in the States,

Just bear with us,

Maybe pick a place that is relevant to you or far away to you.

And it's the beginning of your drive.

And so the speed limit is 75 miles per hour,

Which if you're in the U.

S.

Is higher than most are used to.

So it becomes uncomfortable to go this fast.

Everyone starts to rush by you as it takes a few minutes to settle in.

Once you get up to speed,

You find your cadence and all of a sudden 80 miles per hour becomes normal.

The speed becomes so subconscious that you catch yourself going 90.

Being a law-abiding citizen,

Of course,

You gear it back and you cruise along good old U.

S.

Of A and find yourself in New Jersey,

Yikes.

Being from New Jersey,

I can tell you there's a lot more traffic and the speed limit changes.

You notice everyone is going slower than you used to.

So you dial it back.

At first it feels uncomfortable.

You miss the ease and the speed of the open road.

However,

You don't notice it after a while and it becomes your new normal.

55 miles per hour feels just how 75 did.

What am I getting at with this?

We are programmed to imitate our environment.

It's how we learn language and how we learn social cues so we can fit into our communities.

If our environment only knows how to go 25 miles per hour,

Then that is what we know and how we subconsciously act.

Speed is a metaphor for potential.

If our environment is mostly people living at half their potential,

We subconsciously live at half of ours.

So what do we do?

A decade ago,

I was going 25 miles per hour,

Metaphorically,

Drinking,

Clocking into work,

And just living for the weekend.

I had no idea I had books in me to write,

People I could help,

Or a life of freedom that I could live.

I thought life was about following the corporate script and just having as much fun as possible.

This was until I found a group in 2014 that changed my life.

It was as if my 2007 Toyota Corolla entered a highway with Maseratis.

These people in this group helped me see my potential.

They supported me in taking risk and living a life of meaning and purpose.

And they showed me many new things.

One of which was a practice you might have heard of called meditation.

Through meditation,

I found my place in the universe.

I found who I really am.

I found God.

Now all things are possible.

It's been a decade since that first group.

And I have to pause and ask myself,

Literally,

Holy effing cow,

How did I get here?

How am I able to live this life?

How did this come true?

If you would have seen me 10 years ago,

There's no way you could predict where I'm at right now.

And it all comes back to environment.

You don't take a plane to Seattle if you want to go to San Diego.

Getting to where you want to go is easier if you're around others going in the same direction.

If you know that you are here to fulfill a dream or a purpose or have a gift,

It's important to find a community who will believe in your dreams,

Who are also on that same path fulfilling their purpose.

There are people out there that can help you,

Not by what they say,

But simply by who they are.

When we're around people that are inspiring,

That are positive and uplifting,

There's almost this osmosis that happens.

It's like they're reflecting back our own light,

Our own truth.

So the main intention with me sharing this with you is I want you to take a look at the people in your life,

Not making them better or worse or an in or out group.

Simply take stock of,

Are the people in your life going where you want to be going?

Is it an environment that supports your dreams?

Or is it one that is constricting?

Is it one where if you said you wanted to write a book,

People would laugh at you?

And it's important to know that environment is stronger than willpower.

We are always going to rise or fall to the level of our environment.

And so again,

It's not about making others wrong for their choices.

It's not even that you're not going to have deep love and care and you don't even have to get them out of your life.

This is not what I'm saying.

I'm simply saying to check and to know where do you have spaces,

Communities,

Groups in your life that help you see what is possible,

That help you realize your gifts and potential,

That believe in you.

This app that you are on can be an environment.

There's a lot of positive content,

A lot of positive energy,

Good teachers,

People doing things that are going to reflect back to you that light.

It's important to seek your physical environment or other more intimate spaces,

Whether they're online or in person,

Where you can rise to the people that are around you.

I really,

Again,

The intention of this message is for you to just take stock and look for those opportunities to be around others who will support you.

It was the most transforming thing of my life and I believe that it can have a similar effect on yours.

Sending you so much love.

I am rooting for you and I hope we get a chance to connect again soon.

Thanks again for listening.

And if you resonated with this,

Leave a comment.

I'd love to hear that you're listening or share it with someone that you may think would benefit from the message.

Thanks again and we'll connect soon.

Reviews

Wow Lou I really needed to hear this. Thank you.
By the way I live in Oklahoma so I got your talk x 100 😁I have known since a late adolescent I was made to be a light in the dark and write and speak. I’ve been taking that journey in owning my own practice as a counselor but I know others steps are ahead and I appreciate you reminding of the importance of like minded tribe

Wonderful insight that we become like those around us!

A great analogy and food for thought. Thanks for the insights.

Namaste 🙏

Simple but useful observation, Lou. Thanks for the reminder to stay focused on enjoying this opportunity of living!
Donna

Thank you 🙏

This was awesome. I loved the analogy! This messaging was very validating & I plan on sharing it with loved ones. Thank you!! 🙏🏻

Another great & realistic meditation Lou🙏🏻 this makes total sense 💙

Lou, this message resonates with me fully. Time, Environment and Body as Dr. Dispenza said, are the three utmost factor in your life.
Great insight!

This goes hand in hand with Larry Billotta’s Enviroment Changer Course. That I have been taking. Thank you. Just what I needed today .

The energy of people around definitely affects us, either in a good or a bad way, and we affect the others too. Thank you for this reflection 🤍

I absolutely agree, thank you for sharing your story!

yes, great🙏🏾

Our group, Conscious Creature Community, joined here on Insight Timer today, and we all felt deeply connected and aligned with your kind words. Thank you 🙏💫

Love what you said about environment being stronger than willpower. It’s easy to think that we let ourselves down because we lack willpower, when really we need to spend more time fostering an encouraging, growth environment.

Thanks for the insight and reminder 🩵

Thank you! Refreshing honesty. I have enjoyed many of your talks and have missed hearing you lately. You know the old saying….if you don’t need a hair cut then don’t go to the barber shop. Same theme!
The single most important thing I heard was recognizing God in your life and how with Him anything is possible!

While I’m not in the USA, I live close enough to know/convert miles to kilometres 🤓. Your message did resonate with me. I’ve been feeling stuck for months and am looking to make a change before year end. I’m working on it through messages like this and meditating.

Thank you so much for sharing this insight, Lou. It resonated so much, providing an aha moment. Pursuing my MFA in Writing was an exhilarating experience. During the residencies each semester, I was surrounded with like minded people. We literally ate, drank and almost slept writing. It was as if I was living my dream. 15 years later, guess who struggles to find writing time. Since graduating, I have justified not having a writing community because writing is a singular activity. Thank you for this insight. 🙏🪷

I really liked the metaphor and it got me thinking about the support I already have and the additional support I want to have and provide for others. TY for this message.