How Does Your Environment Affect You?

Angela, thank you for sharing your blog space with me today. I love visiting the blogs of other authors—there is so much wonderful information and it’s always so different. Since your blog is the “Mountain Muse,” I’ve decided to write about the environment, and how it affects us.

I noticed an interesting this this past weekend. I tend to work very long hours. Often times, I won’t leave my desk for twelve hours straight. Yeah, not very healthy in many regards—I have that writer’s butt making itself known recently, but that’s another story all togetherJ This weekend, I decided to push my computer work aside, print out a friend’s manuscript that I had promised to beta read, and head outdoors. The sun was shining, there was a gentle breeze, and within fifteen minutes of being away from my keyboard and monitor, a few very exciting things happened—I was breathing deeper, my mind was wandering into unchartered territory with story ideas, and my shoulders climbed down from their new residence, just below my ears.

I’m a visual person driven by my senses, and I react to my surroundings on many levels. I think we all do. I have to be surrounded by windows when I write, or I feel like my mind is too closed. I need to drink ice water, or my insides feel constricted. And, I discovered, that even though I love writing and working on the World Lit Café or the Women’s Nest, I need the time away from the computer in order to rejuvenate my mind.

We have a relatively short amount of time on this earth, and while the social media side of life is exciting, and new avenues for meeting other writers, and connecting with readers, are opening up every week, I fear we are becoming so closed off that we forget what life is really about. Life is not lived within four walls. Life is what happens around us, it’s the growing trees, the bees and the yes, even the stink bugs and flies. Life is the scent of pollen that makes us sneeze and the tickle of the wind on our arms. Life is the smile my son has on his lips that dances all the way up to his eyes when I chase him around the yard. Life is also what we do when we’re indoors, but for me, I’ve discovered, the indoor life cannot be as rich and fulfilling, if I’m missing out on the outdoor life.

What rejuvenates you? What makes your mind wander and your senses heighten? Keep it clean, no x-rated answers here, this is a lovely blog, let’s not hog it up. Seriously, folks, when you have the chance to dance in the rain, do you take it? I get the stink eye for dancing in puddles with my children. But what are those puddles for if not for experiencing them?

What have you done to rejuvenate recently? 

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"Melissa Foster is a wonderful connector of readers and books, a friend of authors, and a tireless advocate for women. She is the real deal"–Author Jennie Shortridge

Melissa Foster is the bestselling, award-winning author of three novels, Megan's Way, Chasing Amanda, and Come Back to Me. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the Women's Nest, a social and support community for women, the World Literary Cafe, and Fostering Success. Melissa is currently collaborating in the film production of Megan's Way.

Melissa hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children, she's written for Calgary's Child Magazine and Women Business Owners Magazine, and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa is currently working on her next novel, and lives in Maryland with her family. Melissa's interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping women see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.