Nature Holds the Key to Personal Development?

Personal Development? Nature Holds the Key

Is there a personal development mystery? Everybody knows that if we don’t improve personally, nothing else improves.  Let me correct that.  There is still, I am sure, a substantial group of people who are looking for some hack or change that they think will make everything wonderful.  So I guess it would be more accurate to write, “almost everybody knows that with personal development, nothing improves.

You know how, when you were a kid and our whole lives were wrapped up in one thing?  If we made the team or got a date with our “crush” person or lost 40 pounds, or the acne went away then everything would be perfect?

The mystery of personal development gets more baffling as the years roll on if you’re anything like I was.  Eating about four to six self-help books a year… making notes, highlighting, making dream boards… we learn them yet, ut-oh, nothing changes. Ugggh

Yet we keep trying without knowing that the subconscious mind is running the show, predetermining better that 95% of our decisions.  Drove me crazy.  Vacillating between despair and optimism.  Despair after really committing to what the latest book instructed and failing. Optimism because I believed what was on the jacket of the “next big breakthrough” book.  Love, hate… ying, yang.

Of course, at the time, I was unaware that the subconscious was running the show. And, making matters worse, I had now developed, unconsciously, a bad habit.  Buying more books.

MYSTERY SOLVED

My friend hands me a scroll by Og Mandino, scroll IV.  Palm slap to forehead. Epiphany.  Bells and whistles go off.  Says, “Mother Nature always emerges victorious” and we can all agree on that.  Says, “I am part of nature”… that was it! I never perceived myself as part of nature.

What happens in nature?  What belongs in an environment always shows up and flourishes, what does not belong in an environment will perish.  Polar bears and penguins don’t show up in the desert… and they would die if they did.  Roses don’t show up in the artic.  Again, almost instant death.

Stopped reading.  Began thinking about Kaua’i, Hawaii.  My big dream.  Kaua’i is known as the Garden Isle and it really is.  Highest rainfall on the planet, lush, constantly blooming fruits, veggies, flowers, trees… landscapers can’t keep up with it.

Here’s the thing… there was nothing here.  A volcano that went dormant… 100,000s of years pass.  Rain erodes a lot of the lava rock.  Perfect weather for growth… nothing here.  Greatest place to grow stuff... nothing here.  How did all the plants get here?  WWW… wind, water or wings.  No matter.  What belongs here shows up!  And flourishes. 

I had a brainstorm.  The environment of my mind is not conducive to growth. Maybe the stuff I am putting into the mental environment was OK but it could not grow.  Committed to improving the environment of my mind.  Maybe I did not have a healthy mindset. Finally cracked the code by going to science books instead of self-help drivel.

Without a healthy environment of what one wants to grow, it simply will not grow… like our polar bears and roses. Here’s what I mean by cracking the code.  We don’t experience personal development and then get a healthy mindset.  Nope.  Just the opposite… we get a healthy mindset then we can grow personally.

THE LAW OF ENVIRONMENT

The Law of Environment for the mind mirrors the fundamental principles of nature. Just as in the natural world, where the environment determines what thrives and what perishes, our mental environment dictates the thoughts, habits, and desires that flourish within us. When we cultivate a positive, nurturing mental space, the qualities and outcomes we aspire to will emerge and grow. By working on our mental environment, developing a healthy mindset, we can grow personally

Conversely, negativity, doubt, and destructive patterns tend to fade away, unable to survive in a healthy mental environment. In a nutshell, why self-help books that don’t give you exercises to deal with “subby” [your subconscious] never work… not just for you, for all of us.

Nature demonstrates that everything belongs in its rightful place; what is suited to an environment will flourish, while what does not fit will eventually perish. This universal truth applies equally to our minds. When we intentionally create a mental landscape that supports growth through thoughts, beliefs, and practices that align with our goals—success and fulfillment naturally follow. Our mental environment becomes a fertile ground where the seeds of our desires can sprout and flourish.

Recognizing that we are part of nature reinforces this understanding. As living beings within the natural world, we have the power to shape our mental environment. By nurturing positive thoughts and removing limiting beliefs, we set the stage for our true desires to manifest and grow. Just as nature always emerges victorious by adapting and thriving, you too can harness this law to cultivate a mind that attracts and sustains what your heart truly wants.

In conclusion, the Law of Environment for the mind emphasizes the importance of creating a mental atmosphere conducive to growth. By aligning my thoughts and beliefs with my aspirations, I ensure that only what serves my highest good will flourish, leading to a fulfilling and successful life.

Step One?  “Subby” is like a field; it returns what we plant… 🪴 the big dream, new habits, etc. BUT… good stuff and certainly personal development won’t grow in poor environments.  So Step One is to take the 7-Day Mental Diet and give it all you have.  This will purge the “field” and then, Step Two, become a vigilant guard person of that now precious healthy mindset. 

Peace be the journey

Believe

Mark j