They say that a goldfish will grow to be small or large, depending on the size of its environment. With people then, might it not be the same?
On one hand, that sounds like a crazy hypothesis, right? But let me say a bit more…
This week I’ve been practicing taking up space. For example, I’ve been filling up the space in my new flat, which is much larger than any space I’ve lived in these past few years. It hasn’t happened automatically. Rather there’s been a genuine adjustment period. It feels like growing. In the first week, I piled all of my stuff in boxes in one corner of the empty living room, and spent most of my time in the bedroom and one area of the kitchen. I found myself walking back and forth, back and forth, trying to figure out how to live in two rooms (versus just one, as I’d been doing the month prior). I was deciding where to do what, moving furniture around, oh and wondering where the heck did I leave my keys this time??
Slowly but surely, I’ve been settling in and beginning to use the rest of the space. I’m probably at about 65% at this point, as a large section of the will-be living room area still patiently awaits a sofa, coffee table and accent chair. The incredible thing is that I can almost physically sense a tangible shift inside my body when I am at home. Though I’m sure if you measured and weighed me there would be no detectable increase in size, I get the feeling my body is actually taking up more space.
What I notice about taking up space is that, just like the goldfish, I tend to shrink physically, emotionally and energetically, when the surrounding environment feels small, crowded, restrictive or just plain uninviting. My muscles contract (sometimes slightly, sometimes a lot!) and I tend to make smaller movements in general. What’s more, I unconsciously draw the energy inside my body closer to my core, so that my energetic “self” is actually taking up LESS space than the size of my physical body would suggest.
In contrast, when I have plenty of room (again physically, emotionally and energetically), I tend to uncurl and relax out into the available space. Perhaps that’s why may of us feel so incredible walking in the great outdoors. Like a good stretch in the morning, the sense of space and spaciousness in nature allows enough room for us to relax, fully inhabit our bodies and metaphorically spread our “wings.”
Metaphorically, I have noticed the same thing with myself and my clients when it comes to our careers. With enough empty space in the daily schedule for strategic thinking… with enough leeway from the boss to be creative, make decisions and take risks… with enough vacation and downtime… with literally a bigger office and a window to the outside world… careers take off as we grow into our sense of purpose and fulfillment.
What would it be for you to allow yourself to take up more space this week?
In your movement practice, I invite you to first NOTICE the sensations of expansion and contraction. Can you willingly draw your physical body and your energy in. How do you do it? What muscles contract? Can you then choose to relax out into your entire body? What if you allow your energy to spill over and extend beyond your own physical walls into the space around you? Do all of this while moving (jogging, swimming, dancing etc). Notice the difference in your comfort level, your ease of movement, your sensations of physical pain and pleasure, your emotional response. Many of use are not used to taking up space. Some of us are, and feel crazy and frustrated when constrained.
In life, I invite you to think about one change you could make that would increase your sense of spaciousness with regards to your work or favorite hobby. What could you shift THIS WEEK that would give you a little more room to spread your wings?
Living large,
LeeAnn
