Making Space

Recently, I decided to move to a different area of the country. Although it was coming for some time, in some ways the move itself was impulsive. In fact, I didn’t tell many people I was leaving. I didn't announce that I was arriving at my destination. And I even got rid of whatever didn't fit in my little car just so I could go hassle free.

Naturally people are still in the process of finding out I left. The responses have been a mixture of fascination, disbelief, and sometimes envy (I’m sure there is judgment too, but who cares). I get it. I probably look like a gypsy to them. What I've done probably feels so far out of reach that they can't imagine doing anything similar.

But in reality, all I truly did was make me a priority. ...Life wasn't working for me where I was (not to say it can't work better there at some point) and it was simply time to go. No overthinking anymore. No worrying. No bullshit. The only thing I needed to do to get to that point was clear space. For me, that meant ridding myself of life’s typical distractions, including purging some of my belongings (I'll save some of the others for another post.).

Let me explain:

Space clearing is an energetic principle perhaps most recognized with Feng Sui. The theory - roughly summarized - says that everything in our lives, physically and emotionally speaking, takes up valuable space. Each item and experience in our lives becomes imprinted within our physical, emotional, and energetic systems. Ergo, if we have a lot of material things and emotional garbage, we literally lack the space to allow new and better things to come into our lives.

An easy example is a messy closet. Jammed with so many items of clothing, it’s holding items we haven’t used in years. We tell ourselves it will come back in style, we’ll fit into it again, or maybe we’ll need it one day. While any one of those excuses could be true, the fact remains that the closet is packed! Meanwhile we want to buy that new suit or dress or whatever, and yet we have no space to hold it! (Fun fact: On average, people only use about 20% of the clothing they own!)

The same goes for emotional garbage. We only have so much space to hold and manage them in our systems. Where are we to put the good stuff when we’ve filled ourselves with things like regret, guilt, or anger?!

What we often don't realize, however, is that a packed closet could be a symptom of emotional garbage in the same way that a sore throat may indicate the onset of a cold. And so, by clearing our physical world we are, in a way, pronouncing that we are energetically ready for more... and better.

The point is this: if we want to bring more of what we want in, we have to make the space for it. I’m sure it’s safe to say we’ve all reached moments in our lives where we have struggled and wanted a deeper understanding of personal fulfillment. But not all of us do a thing about it. It can be scary to find answers. It can feel overwhelming. It can even feel impossible with family and work obligations. And so often we carry on in an almost mindless way, more willing to live out what we know than what we really want.

I’m not going to sit here and pretend that space clearing is easy or quick. Trust me. Sometimes it has been far from it. I’m not even suggesting that everyone needs to take as drastic measures as me. But I am suggesting – even urging – that each one of us figures out at least one way we can start making space in our lives.

How can you do a little space clearing of your own? Clearing out a closet? Taking a long weekend just to yourself? Suggestions are welcome!

#wonky #yoga #energy #makingspace