The Power of the Room

The space you inhabit—and what you allow in it—will decide who you become

We each inhabit a space, and often share it with others or outside influences, such as television or music. What fills our space fills our hearts and minds as well. Paige Cody/Unsplash

In what room are you living? What’s the mental and emotional space you inhabit? Who do you share it with? Did you consciously choose your room, or did you just kind of drift into it?

Within your room are the people you spend time with regularly. They’ve introduced you to many of the mindsets, ideas, and viewpoints you now hold. Additional transforming influences came to you from things you viewed, such as TV or the internet.

Step back and take a look at your room. Do you want to be like the people you share it with? Is it the best place for you to live? If not, you can change it.

Who Do You Let In Your Room?

We’re transformed by our associations. That makes it vitally important that you choose the right room. You'll become like those around you. They become a kind of social gravity, always pulling you to their level. Of course, you also pull them to yours. But on the whole, it’s harder to pull others up than it is to be pulled down.

Matt Tommey, creator of the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program, has some fantastic insights on this subject.

“If you find out you are the smartest person in the room, then the smartest thing you can do is find a new room,“ Tommey said. ”If you continue to stay in the same room, around the same people doing the same thing that you have always done, then you’re going to get the same results or maybe even worse.

“Find another room with people who can help you elevate what you see as possible. Spend your time around people who are further along than you, where you can be mentored and grow.”

Always be forward-thinking. You have so much God-given potential that will blossom from being in a room that nurtures and challenges you.

What Do You Let in Your Room?

Be very wise about what you look at. To be a successful person, you must counter the negativity around you with truth, positivity, and righteousness. Often you must close your door when harmful things try to enter the space you inhabit.

There’s power in seeing. For example, have you ever seen a pizza commercial on TV over and over, and then you just had to have pizza? Of course you have. I have too. We desire appealing things, especially if they’re always in sight—even if we know they can harm us. We may not want all of these things, but we each have our weak spots, and these messages are designed to compel us.

Advertisers count on the power of seeing. Our viewing habits influence our thinking, political preferences, and even our cognitive abilities. Our eyes are “gates” to our brains: Where we look is where we go.

Practically speaking, you must sometimes close the door to your room. For example, if you embrace a healthy lifestyle, instead of watching cooking shows or food commercials on TV, watch something that encourages you in your healthful journey. You'll be amazed at how much this one decision will help you stay on course.

Never forget that your viewing habits greatly influence your thinking. You must choose TV shows and movies that will enlighten you and build you up rather than lure you into endorsing evil, immorality, and violence. You must not allow such things to sidetrack you.

What Is the Best Room for You?

Take inventory from time to time and be sure your room is filled with people who know more than you do and can help you grow. They'll mentor you and challenge you.

Allow only images, thoughts, and viewpoints beneficial to you, the others in your room, and those outside of it. If they don’t, find another room.

Because transformation occurs by association, ask yourself if you want to be like the people who live in your room with you or like those in the things you watch. Realize your power to choose the room you inhabit.