By
JAY BLOCK

No doubt, the quality of life and the ability to work through adversity and tough times are directly related to the types of people with whom you associate - and your physical environment. Environmental Transformation simply means - change your environment if it's not a positive and nurturing one. This technique is made up of two different environmental transformation options:

1) Evaluate and change your associations - the people you spend time with.
2) Evaluate and change your venues - the places where you spend your time.

Associations

You must never underestimate the power of influence created by the people you spend time with. Years ago, a coach taught me that are some people you can spend an hour with - but not a day; some people you can spend a day with - but not a week; and some people you need to disassociate with altogether. You see, there are those people who inspire, challenge, and encourage you - and these are people you need to spend more time with. Then, there are those people who are so negative and cynical, achieving anything of value is impossible - and you simply have to disassociate altogether or, at least, distance yourself from them.

If a 'B' tennis player wants to become an 'A' player, the speed in which she accomplishes this is related to whom she practices with. If she plays with 'B' and 'C' level players, even though she enjoys their company and wins her share of matches, she won't make it to the 'A' level. This is because she's not playing against the 'A' players, those who will challenge her to improve her game. Her frustration in getting to the next level, however, will be greatly diminished when she begins playing against better competition. Yes, she'll lose her share of matches in the beginning - yes, at times she'll experience some embarrassing losses and yes, for a short while, she'll find it difficult competing against better players. That being said, over time she'll learn, grow, improve and will soon become the 'A' player she aspires to become - because she made the decision to transform her associations - and compete with those at a higher level.

The same holds true for you. If you desire to triumph over a debilitating set back like a health issue or loss of a job, you need to associate with positive can-do oriented people.

So, take time to become aware of those people you're associating with. Evaluate your relationships. Are the people you're spending time with providing you with a positive environment? Are they helping you to be all you can be? Or, are you influenced by negative people who impede all success and joy - people who instill fear and a sense of hopelessness? If you're emotionally spent and in a fearful state of mind, you can change that negative state simply by changing your associations.

Venues

Your physical environment also determines how you feel. Possibly you've heard about Feng Shui, the art of creating balance, harmony, and prosperity in your environment. By changing your physical environment you can change how you feel, and turn adversity into opportunity; underachievement into success !

People take vacations to change how they feel. People change their physical environment on the weekends to change how they feel after a tedious work week. If you were to watch children and their parents when they visit Disney World in the morning, you'd witness the emotions of joy, anticipation, and sheer excitement as they enter the park. Twelve hours later, you'd witness completely different emotions. After a full day of excitement, navigating through crowds, waiting in lines, and taking in as much as can be taken in, fatigue, exhaustion, and tempers begin to skyrocket out of control. When these negative emotions arise, parents practice the technique of environmental transformation and leave the park. When emotions are about to explode and tears begin to flow, the parents say, "Enough is enough; it's time to go back to the hotel."

My mother was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy - an enlarged heart that didn't pump enough blood throughout her body to maintain good health. She suffered with this disease for 20 years before passing away at the age of 60. My parents owned a lake house in New Hampshire, and my mother spent as much time on "Golden Pond" as she could. She found peace, tranquility, and truly enjoyed being there. She would often spend a week alone at the cottage in the summer months, and my father would join her on the weekends. No one could change my mother's illness or prognosis, but her quality of life was significantly enhanced because she changed her venue - and went to her special place on the lake when she needed to get away - and feel empowered.

And isn't environmental transformation critical when it's time to depart this life? Some people feel more at peace when they spend their final days in a hospital or medical center whereas others feel better passing on in the comfort of their own home with hospice and family members at their side. So venue is a critical component in determining how you feel and deal with adversity and life's challenges both during life and when preparing to pass on.

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OUR OWN "CHANGE OF SCENE"!

Well, after 20 years of living and working in South Florida, we have made the decision to move The Jay Block Companies and ourselves to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Our "palm haven" home is for sale. This is a special place for us as it is the place where we met, worked with, and were inspired by so many of you. So if you, or anyone you know, might be interested in a unique ¼ acre "piece of paradise" with over 80 magnificent palms trees, and an abundance of positive energy, email us and let us know.

COACHES CORNER:

At the turn of the century, there was a man - who began his career with three strikes against him. Strike 1: He was illiterate. Strike 2: He was uneducated. Strike 3: He was broke. Some 12 years later, this man became one of the wealthiest men in the world. What turned his 3 strikes around into a life of success and achievement? He explained that it was due to his change of associations. His two new associations were with Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone. By changing his associations, Henry Ford went from an illiterate, uneducated, poor farm boy to one who single-handedly transformed America into a nation on wheels. He acknowledged that significant changes occurred in his life when he made significant changes in the people he spent time with.

Denzel was scheduled for quadruple bypass heart surgery. His family, though loving and supportive, kept bringing up all the complications associated with the procedure including possible hemorrhaging, infection of the wound, heartbeat irregularities, fluid build-up in the lungs, blood clots, and stroke. This was enough to send Denzel into a fear-based panic. He found himself stressed and depressed - round the clock! So he decided to join a support group BEFORE the procedure to suppress his fears. He was aware that his fears were made worse by well-meaning - but counter-productive family members. Obviously, Denzel couldn't disassociate from his family, so he made the decision to expand his associations. By doing so, he faced his surgery with courage and conviction. By improving his associations - the people he spent time with, Denzel realized that his fears were unwarranted. He empowered himself - and assisted in his own healing by spending quality time with new, inspiring, and courageous people.