When I read biographical sketches of the saints, I am intrigued by how many of them were born in the lap of luxury only to walk away from it all.

St. Augustine’s earnest cry — For Thyself You have created us Oh Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee — reminds us that nothing in this life can satiate our thirst for eternal happiness. But how do we “rest in Thee,” when our minds are constantly racing? How do we contemplate God when each day a stampede of messages bolt through our cell phones, leading us down an endless rabbit hole?

The cautionary phrase, “get your house in order,” does not typically mean go hire a home organizer. We are being told “get your act together — before it’s too late.”  Now, what if changing our exterior environment helps us to get our “house” in order so we can “rest in Thee”?

Did you know that when we view something we perceive as beautiful, our brain responds by releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine? This activity is very similar to what happens in our brain when we listen to our favorite music.

Our tagline, Expect the Effect, is rooted in the psychological phenomenon that higher expectations yield greater results known as the Pygmalion Effect, named after the Greek myth about the famed sculptor, Pygmalion. Conversely, low expectations typically yield poor performance, known as the Golem Effect.  

In our illustration, instead of a teacher or parent affirming, “you got this!” it is the environment that is encouraging you, influencing your performance. The inclination to goodness, which enables positive outcomes, is being articulated by a home’s interior design. This is why we believe that beauty is not a luxury, but a staple for a worthwhile life.  

The chart below illustrates how the Pygmalion Effect operates when the brain engages with something it perceives as beautiful. 

Our labels and expectations can become self-fulfilling prophesies. Our home environment can operate as a label or an unwitting expectation in both positive and negative ways. How you design your space greatly influences your mood and emotions. If looking at something you perceive as beautiful can provide the same effect as listening to your favorite song by rewarding you with the neurotransmitter dopamine, walking through a home in disarray can trigger its opposite: anxiety, confusion, hostility, etc.

Perhaps it is wise not to underestimate the power of environmental makeovers to change us in ways that are truly rewarding. How we see ourselves, interact with others, and even listen to and perceive God — the author of all beauty, are just some of the impacts exterior changes can infuence.

THIS is also why beautiful churches such as basilicas and cathedrals are so very important—they are there to engage us to fully contemplate the mystery of the heavenly banquet, and they also honor God; whereas it may be burdensome in a church that looks like an auditorium, not unlike the Pygmalion Effect and its opposite, Golem Effect, where low expectations lead to poor performance.

Material goods will never satiate our thirst for God. The goal is to create a beautiful, harmonious space that inspires us to serve God with passion, love, and grace.

Stay tuned for more on ugly churches.