Sam Harris 
March 2023  •  5 min read

The effect of environment on the human psyche

It’s a cold story. The tale of a perilous journey across an apocalyptic wasteland. Crumbling buildings, nefarious outlaws and unearthly creatures that lurk in the dark, once human, but not anymore. This is the premise of The Last of Us. An episodic series based on the video game of the same name. To say I’m invested would probably be somewhat of an understatement. Pedro Pascal is exceptional in his portrayal of Joel, the lead character. Though much like the original game a decade ago, what has truly blown me away is the atmosphere. Surreal backdrops, from spectral city silhouettes to the crepuscular ruins of abandoned structures. The show’s aura is all encompassing, the attention to detail pays off and hooks you in with a supreme level of immersion. Which brings me to the main subject of this blog post, how your surroundings and environment can affect your emotions and state of mind.

Do you ever get that giddy feeling when it snows? For me, it doesn’t even need to settle to put a smile on my face. Yet when it does, the landscape totally changes. It feels like a different world. An undeniable scene of natural beauty. Streets and rooftops covered in blankets of white, the roads are quiet. A picture of serenity. It takes you back to the halcyon days of childhood: snowball fights, snow angels and the unmistakable crunch of the first steps across virgin snowfall. My immediate surroundings invariably have some degree of influence on how I think and feel. To me, this is what makes one’s environment so important. Even when it comes to money. Especially when it comes to financial planning.

This is one of the many reasons why at Solomon’s we feel it’s so crucial to develop personal, lasting relationships with our clients. To provide you with that confidence and level of trust which, let’s face it, is an absolute requirement in the financial industry. Furthermore, we endeavor to utilize user- friendly tools and services that present and collect information with utmost clarity and efficiency. Ultimately, isn’t that why people seek financial advice? To reduce uncertainty and stress. Finding yourself in an unpleasant environment can cause doubt and turmoil. Let us walk through the snow together