It’s December 1 and you know what that means?
Time to give yourself some space, my friends!
Yes, I know that may feel impossible right now. Yes, I know you may have a lot to do.
But, you know what?
You don’t have to wear yourself out in order to get that stuff done.
You deserve time to yourself, time to take care of yourself, time to do something that makes you feel more like you.
You deserve to have space in your own life.
Whether you are finishing up stuff for the end of the year, preparing for a holiday or just slogging through a bunch of regular stuff, this time of year feels busy and the busy-ness will try to creep into every spare second.
If you wait for free time to appear before you do things for yourself, you’ll be waiting a long time.
But if you create some space – even just by pausing for an extra long breath, by doing one less thing, by looking for places where things can be dialed back a little – you can have a little time for yourself much sooner.
Now, to be clear, I know there are difficult situations in which there is literally no way for someone to create space for themselves and I am truly sorry if you are in one of those times right now. I wish you ease and peace of mind as you make your way through your challenges.
However, for most of us, this rushed and busy season can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The fact that it feels busy adds to the busy-ness. The ambient stress adds to our stress. Our crowded schedules make our brains feel even more crowded than they need to be.
Now, I’m NOT saying that finding a little space for yourself will make life easy.
And I’m NOT saying that meditation and exercise will clear your schedule.
What I’m saying is that making space for yourself in your own life will make all it easier to handle everything else.
Making space for yourself will help you feel a little better, even if nothing else changes.
BUT
This isn’t a group challenge.
This isn’t another to do list item.
These posts are an offering – two small ways that you can find a little space each day in December.
You can take them, you can leave them, or you can do something else.
No matter what you choose or don’t choose, I am here to cheer you on and remind you that your needs matter – especially at this busy time of year.
I have a bit more explanation and a few useful links in the ‘About Making Space 2023’ section below but let’s get started with our meditation and exercise, shall we?
First up, a 3 minute meditation exercise for beginners from the Flow Neuroscience YouTube channel.
And while most of you are probably already out of bed, maybe you could manage a little bit of a lie-down while you give these stretches from Ask Dr Jo a try?
About Making Space 2023:
In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating.
In 2021, I started doing daily December reminders with a post called Give Yourself Some Space, and that’s how the ‘Making Space‘ December tradition began. Throughout December 2021 and 2022, I wrote a short post that included two videos – one for exercise and one for meditation – and a bit of encouragement for you to make space for yourself at this busy time of year.
These posts are not about cramming more things into your month, they reminding you that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and that you are worth taking good care of.
Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need at the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day. Just do whatever you can to give yourself a little more breathing room.
Personally, I am trying to Finish 2023 Soft so I am putting conscious effort into resting whenever I can. My overjangled nervous system needs a chance to unjangle and that process may look different every day.
So, some of these posts may be long and some may be short but please know that every single one of them is written with the hope that you can find a little ease in your day, whatever that looks like for you.
PS – If you are already feeling overwhelmed by the thought of the month ahead, you might find this old article of mine helpful. December is like a messy closet, here’s how to get it back on track. I’m not actually too concerned with you being ‘on track’ but I do want you to have peace of mind and I hope the suggestions in that piece can help you move in that direction.
