It’s 9:30pm and I am thinking of food – the bad kind. My brain seems somewhat convinced that eating is the solution to every obstacle I am currently facing. My priority is to fill the internal belly space. 🥴
I also have a pressing need to create some space between me and our somewhat unpredictable teen. Having survived this journey twice before does not make me any wiser.
However, this is not the actual space I am referring to. The missing space is a more of the restorative kind. For some it may conjur up the feeling of peace, for others it’s energy. Whatever it looks like for you, I am sure you recognise the need for it.
Where has your space gone?
Having learnt many valuable lessons during lockdown, I was convinced that a slower pace of life was the answer.
So, what happened? How is it that mass multitasking is now the driving force in my life? Who apart from me has a post-It note above their desk reminding them to breath and an item on their ‘to do’ list called ‘schedule downtime’?
For a brief moment, I may have considered the following to be true:
- My calendar would remain empty.
- Our pets would never need to see the vet.
- Our windows would not need cleaning.
- We would never need to visit the petrol station again.
- School extra-curricular activities would not resume.
Lockdown kept us safe and created a bubble kind of existence. Life as we knew it ceased to exist.
Hands up who finds themselves back on the pre-Covid treadmill?
If you are anything like me, the return to madness was illustrated today by my rather public SOS cry for help on a forum I belong to.
The solution boiled down to one single thing. Not, have you prioritised? Not, are you able to delegate? Not, how can you slow down?
Rather,
how are you creating space for yourself?
My immediate thought was, ‘I’ll add that to my to-do list’, but as I pondered this question more carefully, I found myself back pedalling.
We are part of a system that has a direct influence on our lives. That’s the reality. Whether it be adverse weather conditions, an unhappy and pressurised job, family commitments or financial concerns, there isn’t a bubble protecting us from the harsh realities of the system.
There is a need for us to create space.
Space is not…
– a ‘to-do’.
– an opportunity to fix.
– a time to try and make sense of life.
– an chance to fill belly space. (It’s important to clarify that one. 😉)
Space is…
A ‘pause’;
– between you and the problem.
– for gratitude and appreciation.
– to breath and enjoy simple pleasures.
– to ponder.
– to do nothing other than ‘sit’ – guilt free.
‘Space’ can be a physical, spiritual, mental and/or emotional placeholder for you to simply ‘be’.
The benefits of creating space.
– It helps us put things in perspective.
– It separates us from some of the internal and external ‘noise’.
– It provides us an opportunity to see the bigger picture.
– It restores.
Practically, what does it look like?
Personally, it has to do with physically removing myself from my office space. I love this space and as it’s in the comfy of my own home, it’s like a magnet and I find it difficult to leave. ‘Walk away’ is now the bigger post-it above my desk.
I am the kind of person who finds sitting and doing nothing a real challenge. A colleague recently asked me a question that I couldn’t let go of, ‘Does your list ever come to an end?’ I don’t intend to add ‘sitting’ to my To-do list, but it’s something I am now more mindful of.
Yoga has been a game changer. Being a spiritual person, I combine Yoga with prayer and the results is a body, mind and soul connection that is difficult to beat. It gives me the space I need to pause and reflect before the day begins.
The testosterone teen’s journey has only just begun. South Africa remains on the red list. We’ve learnt the new Covid word ‘Omicron’ which has caused panic across the world. And the silly season is upon us.
As the year draws to end, I’d encourage you to pause and consider the space around you and how you are filling it.
Here’s a little fun acronym to get you going:
S – Seek it out. See the value in it. Surrender to it. Savour it.
P – Pause in it. Pay attention to it. Play with it. And take Pleasure in it.
A – Acknowledge the need for it. Actively engage in it. Appreciate it.
C – Carve time for it. Be Creative about it.
E – Enjoy it.
