‘I need some space.’
When was the last time you uttered that phrase?
I know during the last year there have been times when I’ve needed space, a change of scene, a breathing space in the midst of lockdown.
It’s often when you’re feeling overwhelmed, too busy and life is full of the demands of everyone around you. That feeling of juggling too many balls, one is going to drop and all you need really is to put them all down and have a break, even for a few minutes.
I’ve noticed recently that there are some things that are important to helping me flourish, to being able to juggle all those balls. And yet in the busy times they are the things that get pushed out. I forget or I easily give up the things that are important for my wellbeing; I say yes to too much.
There’s something important about weaving wellbeing into your everyday life that is valuable.
Wellbeing can feel like something else that you need to think about, make time for or spend money on. At Space to Breathe we believe wellbeing should be weaved into your everyday life and it’s about knowing what helps you to be well, to flourish and to make consistent time for that.
These things are the things that give you your ‘space’, they’re the things that help you to breathe and to balance everything else in life.
Peace is always right here. You just have to create space for it.
Carol Tuttle
Getting out into nature is really valuable for my wellbeing. It gives me such life, it helps me to slow down and it boosts my mood. Now I know that, I can find ways to make sure I am in nature. The great thing about knowing what boosts your wellbeing is that it makes it simpler to build in. It also allows you to get creative, because it doesn’t have to look like just one thing. Getting into nature is something I can do in five minutes or for a whole weekend.
A week camping, particularly if it’s by the beach, is the ultimate way for me to soak in nature. A slow walk in a lunch break also works. So does five minutes weeding in the garden after being cooped up inside all day. Hanging the washing outside and listening to the bird song brings me a surprising amount of joy.
Nature isn’t my only thing. There’s connecting with friends, doing pilates, baking, reading, spiritual meditation, regular holidays and rhythms of rest. Each of these things can look different depending on the demands of life around me, but making time for a couple of these things each day is vital. It’s when I do that that I flourish, that I find I’m better able to balance all of those other things.
What gives you space and life?
What, by weaving it into life regularly, helps to give you the space you need, to boost your wellbeing, to allow your mind and body to destress and refocus?
Take some time now, grab a piece of paper or open up a note in your phone and write a list.
If you have enough time, work out what this could look if you had
Five minutes
One hour
One day
A weekend
Now schedule a few in your diary or jot a couple down in each day of your calendar. Give yourself a couple of weeks to give it a go. Notice what impact it has on your day to day wellbeing.