It was a chilly mid-October day as I drove up to the semi-secluded cabin in Ripon, Quebec (Canada). My friend Guy, whom I had initially met 25 years ago while backpacking through Europe, greeted me with a welcoming smile. This was his family’s home away from home on the edge of Lac Grosleau (Grosleau Lake). The inside was modestly appointed with older furniture and lighting, yet was more than sufficient. Upon walking out the back of the house was a motor boat and an entryway to a grand tour of the lake as the variety of species of trees lining the edges were beginning to burst with a rainbow of fall colors.

Autumn was in the air as I arrived at the home of dear friends Rob & Gretchen and their kids in Worcester, Massachusetts. It has been a ritual to visit them every couple years since meeting each other in grad school. They are like family to me. As usual, their basement bedroom was ready for me as were the overflowing snack-filled pantries downstairs and the kitchen above. With Halloween around the corner, the house was adorned with the usual themed and colorful decor, knick-knacks, and bowls of candy corn and other sweets that heightened the spirit of the season.

As my friend Poppy led me to my room on her boat in the Santa Barbara harbor, I was struck by all the inspirational books, stickers, buttons, postcards and pictures in every nook and cranny of that small space — each artfully comprising a golden tapestry that mirrored her sunny disposition. They all conveyed positive messages related to dreaming big, making the impossible, possible and looking on the brighter side of things. Later on, I was a bit awestruck when she showed me her magic bus (pictured) — she designed and breathed a life of happiness.

When I pulled into the gated driveway, I was instantly surrounded by lush tropical trees and colorful flowers. One could mistake it for a Costa Rican rainforest only that I was stateside in Homestead, Florida. Visiting my friend Bari and her husband Michael was a slice of paradise with their five acres of abundant fauna interlaced with a few walking trails. On top of that, my quarters for the evening were in a classic silver bullet Airstream trailer that had been transformed into a heartwarming abode for visiting guests.

How being mindful of my surroundings has inspired me

These four scenes from my travels are a small sample of about 20 homes I visited over six months and gain insight into how others live. While the size and shape of each of their home varied greatly, one thing I noticed is that most had inspirational messages and objects that created an environment that suited them. Prior to my travels, I had discounted the value of that level of intentionality and tended to primarily focus on functional and practical. What I was missing out on were the powerful effects that a well-designed home and location can have on one’s well-being.

Since returning from my Vagabond Adventure, I’ve been very intentional in crafting a living environment that inspires me. I’m incorporated ideas I’ve gleaned along the way. For example, I love nature and the outdoors. I figured out a way to live less than a block from the ocean despite my modest income so that I have easy access to natural beauty outside my home. I”m actually see and hear the ocean from my place — a dream come true for me.

Likewise, I’ve also been very thoughtful with the inside of my home — creating an environment that aligns with and reflects my values and aspirations. It’s a simple and clean look with artful accents that I was able to accomplish with the help of an inexpensive interior designer I hired online. My place now has a common theme (mid-century modern) for the first time instead of the hodge-podge of furnishings and framed art I’ve had in the past.

Among my proudest accomplishments is having more plants, music, and pictures throughout my home. I invested in creating poster-size metal prints of various natural wonders I’ve photographed during my travels and am currently working on refreshing my array of family pictures to display. My experience reinforced how one’s environment can shape and uplift you.

How about you? What inspires you and how might you shape your surroundings to include that?

In the year since finishing my six-month Vagabond Adventure throughout the U.S. and Canada, I’ve had time to reflect on this incredible experience from which I gleaned 10 life lessons. Previously, I wrote about my experiences with Generosity , Connection, Flexibility, Security, Showing Up, Moving On and their impacts on me.