SPACE. Not the kind we hope the astronauts and scientists continue reaching towards, but rather the space that exists all around us and within us.

How do we make space for what is and what will be? Space for the way things are in this moment and space for all that is to come. How can we create more physical, mental and emotional space for ourselves and those in our lives, while also thinking about the spaces we want to fill with our own energy and light.

Over the past couple years I’ve begun creating space for new people, ideas and experiences to enter my life, but only in these past few months have I started to notice where that space has lead me. I began to let go of what no longer served me, leaving room for what was to come. It has been releasing the grip on the way I thought things should be or what I thought I should be doing, attempting to dismantle beliefs about following a certain path and allowing myself to envision something else.

I started to write creatively, taking a class in Manhattan with strangers I read my words aloud too. I built this website where I have put my thoughts out there for friends and family to read. I moved in with my sister to an apartment that feels like another home — something we’ve giggled about for years. I have a book idea — one that I could very well scrap, but it exists and I’ve never had one before. A new career path crosses my mind almost daily (and is something I hope to move towards in the next season of life). All of these good things that I have space for. Space to welcome them with an open heart, grounded in all that has been and all that will be. I’ve felt ready for new, for change, for different. And all the while, I’ve felt ready for what feels more me.

“What courage it takes to love what has been and make space to love what’s next…in order to meet what will be, we have to release what has been.” - Amber Lyon

These words fill me with some sort of calmness — peace, acceptance and even some love for what’s behind in order to meet the present (and eventually future). We can acknowledge and learn from what has been, but we don’t have to keep holding onto it.

So what are those spaces we want to occupy? With family, with friends, even co-workers. We can cultivate spaces where others want to be. We can hold space for others too — when they share something personal, fragile or meaningful. We can be a safe space to listen to others with kindness and compassion. Note: It’s also worth doing the same for ourselves.

And sometimes, we enter spaces that aren’t familiar to us. It’s hard to not try and fit in exactly as the room is expecting us to be, especially when it makes us feel like we are already on the outside. I think when you walk into a space that feels right, you just know. Your body relaxes, you don’t have to pretend to be anyone but yourself, and you’re not worrying about every word that slips off your tongue (even if you’ve had a couple glasses of wine). The right spaces are supposed to feel that way. We’ll walk into many spaces in our lives, and I hope you feel welcome to the spaces you crash your heart into.

There are also moments when we need space from others — their presence can be overwhelming, frustrating, chaotic or insert your own word here. We need the distance, whether physically or emotionally, from someone or even something (i.e. our jobs) that can feel draining and exhausting. Take the PTO! Don’t respond to that person! Stay in for the night! And other times, we just need the physical space to move around or to rest & rejuvenate.

I’ve always thought a clean space helps me think better — maybe that’s why I like to declutter and organize. I think getting rid of some of the physical things (clothes, books, papers) we no longer need and have outgrown or occasionally cleaning our rooms can open up space in our minds for a new thought or direction. I’ve noticed the clarity and difference it’s given me.

Space can take on many meanings to each of us, but I think they all matter. I hope you have the courage to allow whatever you may be feeling — space for the joy, the ache, the curiosity. We can appreciate all that was once present in our lives (and may always be part of us), set it down and make space for what’s right in front of us and what’s to come.

Book Recommendation:

Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin. Her book is a deep dive into my few sentences above on our physical spaces. She believes that cleaning and organizing these spaces can provide clarity, energy and happiness in our lives.