Creating Space for Something New
This post marks the beginning of a new path for me. For those of you who have been subscribed to my emails through Mailchimp, you may have noticed that I recently made a move to start writing a weekly newsletter and now I have moved that newsletter to a new platform, Substack. Substack is a little bit like an email subscription service, a blog and social media all rolled into one. It allows me to streamline my writing platforms and it means that when you subscribe to my posts and chat then you get notified of everything I put out rather than it being filtered by an algorithm with its own agenda.
These weekly emails will contain easy to access practical information and tools for how us busy people can manage stress more effectively and enjoy life more.
Today’s Topic is the Benefit of Taking Micro-breaks
Lately I have been consciously making space on a daily basis to simply be and notice, or in other words, take conscious micro-breaks or pauses. I like to think of it as making space for things to drop in. Things like answers and ideas. Also, space for things to unwind and flow out, like tension, worry and unhelpful expectations and beliefs. It can happen when you take a few minutes to look at the moon or a sunrise. It can happen when you lie down and listen to beautiful music, or dance to a track that moves you. It can happen when you go for a walk in the park. Sometimes it means walking away from something when you are stuck or tired and creating space for fresh inspiration to flow. Sometimes it means sitting quietly in meditation observing whatever thoughts, feeling and/or sensations arise with openness and acceptance. You can create space through quiet and stillness or through consciously moving your body with awareness.
When you are in a stress state your mind and body contract. The parts of your brain that produce creative thoughts go largely offline as your body focuses on tried and true ways of operating that have kept you safe before. This includes when you put pressure on yourself to find a solution, or fix something or get everything right, especially if you also add in time limitations and feel rushed as well. Creating mental, emotional and physical space allows you to access all of the resources available to you both within you and around you. It allows you to see things that you cannot see when you are stressed because your sympathetic nervous system activation has narrowed your focus onto a problem or threat and all you can see is what is wrong or what is missing.
The key is simply setting the intention to create space and then embracing it when you have the opportunity. If you think you do not have time to do this, try this reframe: what is most important to me to spend my time on? Usually, the issue is not that you do not have enough time, but rather that you are choosing to give your time to other things. It may not feel like a choice, but it is. You are choosing what to say no to and what to say yes to. You are choosing beliefs about what you should be doing. You are choosing whether and how you will please others and respond to their needs and demands. People usually have a sense that they don’t have enough time because they are not consciously prioritising spending their time on what is important and fulfilling to them. It can feel strange and selfish to do that because we are generally raised with the beliefs that we should take care of others, work and community responsibilities first. The general result of that is that most people feel depleted and unhappy, and consequently give from that place of depletion and unhappiness. If you really want to serve others well, then fill your own cup with good quality energy and resources first and then that is what you have to share.
Creating space through micro pauses and breaks creates opening and flow. It gives you access to more resources than when you are stressed. When you are feeling stressed and time-short it can feel like you won’t get things done if you take a break but a conscious break can resource you to succeed to a higher level in a shorter amount of time. Your fear-based subconscious mind will scream at you that that is not the case but trust that this is a higher level process. Try it in small ways first to see how it works for you.
Key Point Summary
Set the intention to create space and then embrace it when you have the opportunity. Taking short pauses and breaks on a daily basis are enough to be beneficial e.g looking up at the sky, going for a walk, listening to a music track, taking a break when you are stuck or tired, meditate
Creating mental, emotional and physical space allows you to access all of the resources available to you both within you and around you. It gives you access to your creative problem solving mind and enables you to see more options around you
If you think you do not have time to do this, try this reframe: what is most important to me to spend my time on? People usually have a sense that they don’t have enough time because they are not consciously prioritising spending their time on what is important and fulfilling to them.
Arohanui, much love
Janine
For those of you who are new to reading my work, here’s a bit about me:
Hi. I’m Janine Lattimore. I’m a wellbeing researcher, writer and teacher. I support people who are overworking and over giving to go from exhausted and depleted to creating balance, vitality and joy in their daily lives through quick and easy practices and mindset shifts.
Why? Because this is also my journey. I am a recovering people pleaser, perfectionist and over-achiever. I am also a multi-passionate person with a highly creative, highly active mind. As I result I am very prone to over-working, over-giving and exhausting myself. If you can relate to any of that, then I invite you to walk with me towards creating a less stressful, more enjoyable way of living and being.
My credentials: I am trained in various wellbeing modalities including NLP, somatic practice, meditation, breathwork and embodiment coaching. I am also a trained teacher and have extensive experience working in learning support. For the last twenty plus years I have been writing books, running classes and workshops and coaching with the aim of supporting people to experience greater health and happiness. For more visit my website janinelattimore.com