Day 3: Make Space
Letting go ain’t easy! But here we are on Day 3 and you have identified your most pressing needs, and named the things that you need to let go of in order to address those needs. So now you have to figure out what you need MORE of and how to get it. Do you need more rest, travel, time alone, connection, creative outlets?
Many years ago, I was trying to make space for myself. I was incorporating more time for reading and I was making more literal space to alleviate stress. I read a book about decluttering, by throwing away 50 things. At the time, going through the process of evaluating things and then donating or throwing them away gave me energy, released stress, and made my apartment much nicer. What “making space” looks like, will definitely differ from person to person, and that is OK. Remember, we aren’t setting expectations or pressure on ourselves for this process to look a certain way.
Below are the areas of focus from day 1 and ways in which you can support those areas.
Energy
Rest
Sleep
Alone time
Free/unstructured time
Help
Activities that make you feel recharged
Stress
Downtime
Predictability
Organization
Breaks
Help!
Mood
Fun
Time for hobbies
Creativity
Time outdoors
Connection
Alone time
Relationships
Quality time with your partner
Time with friends
Community (book club, church group, networking)
Meaningful conversations (if you work from home…this might be a big one!)
Breaks from relationships that drain your energy
Overall Satisfaction
You likely need to take a look at the other areas and see what is impacting your overall satisfaction.
How do we make space?
Saying no, asking for help (at home, work, etc), scheduling less, setting boundaries, being OK with “good enough” (perfectionism is a tough thing to let go of, but it can really drag your energy and mood down!).
There are two things I do now, when I feel I need to make space:
Schedule a brief solo getaway or a working retreat with a friend. This means one, maybe 2, nights away somewhere driveable. Time away from home is recovery, even if it entails some kind of work. Sometimes you just need a break from the regular routine. I am a big believer in restorative travel.
I go outside for a walk. This isn’t always an options (weather, illness, etc). But being outdoors and moving is important for my mental health. It helps me focus, reenergize, and destress.
So, get specific…
Turn: I need more rest into I am going to make sure I have at least 2 nights per week with nothing planned.
Ask yourself: When was the last time I did something simply because I enjoyed it?
Today’s prompt: What do I need more of right now?
Don’t forget to grab the free workbook to work through the daily prompts.
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