How Your Environment Shapes Your Life (And What to Change Today) | Leidy Klotz - EP 794
7/16/202657 min
Today's episode will change how you think about the places you spend your life.
Most of us believe that if we want to feel happier, more productive, or more connected, we need to change ourselves.
But what if one of the biggest influences on your well-being isn't your mindset—it's your environment?
If you've ever felt drained at work, disconnected at home, or wondered why certain places instantly make you feel calm, creative, or like your best self, this conversation will help you see your surroundings in a completely different way.
Joining me is Leidy Klotz, engineer, award-winning researcher, and bestselling author of In a Good Place. His groundbreaking work explores how the spaces we live, work, and gather in quietly shape our relationships, memories, happiness, creativity, and even our sense of who we are.
Together, we explore why your environment may be one of the most overlooked drivers of flourishing—and the simple changes that can dramatically improve the way you live every day.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Why your home and workplace influence your happiness more than you realize
- How the places you spend time in shape your memories, relationships, and identity
- The surprising reason where you are matters more than you think
- Why children experience the world differently—and what adults can learn from them
- How to create spaces that reduce stress and increase creativity
- The simple "Space Before Screen" habit that can change the way you start every day
- Why building and creating with your hands strengthens confidence, belonging, and connection
- How your environment quietly communicates your values—to yourself and everyone around you
The truth is, we don't just shape the places we live in. Over time, those places shape us. And once you understand how your environment influences your life, you'll start seeing opportunities for positive change that have been hiding in plain sight.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJohn Miles· Host0:00
Coming up next on Passion Struck And I don't think anyone would argue that, okay, we want people to be more engaged in the physical world, and the distraction is the phone or the iPad or whatever.
Leidy Klotz· Guest0:10
And I think instead of fighting the distraction, just using the distraction as a cue, right? When I reach for my phone in the morning, I think space before screen. I'm about to check my emails, and now instead of doing that, first I'm going to take in my physical surroundings, and I just think it's a practice that we can get in the habit of. You could also put a picture of the physical world on your screensaver that would remind you when you looked at it. But I just use the screen as a cue to say, "No, have I taken in this physical world around me?"
John Miles· Host0:39
Welcome to Passion Struck. I'm your host, John Miles. This is the show where we explore the art of human flourishing and what it truly means to live like it matters. Each week, I sit down with change-makers, creators, scientists, and everyday heroes to decode the human experience and uncover the tools that help us lead with meaning, heal what hurts, and pursue the fullest expression of who we're capable of becoming. Whether you're designing your future, developing as a leader, or seeking deeper alignment in your life, this show is your invitation to grow with purpose and act with intention. Because the secret to a life of deep purpose, connection, and impact is choosing to live like you matter. [upbeat music] Hey, friends, and welcome back to episode