Inhabiting Our Spaces
Have you heard the advice “Don’t be afraid to take up space”? What’s your initial reaction?
It makes me pause - perhaps because of the word “take” and the stories and beliefs around it. Taking is usually bad, right?
A therapist so brilliantly reframed this idea: inhabit your space.
Cue the lights and confetti because I get it now. I can be unapologetically myself - full of emotions, ideas, dreams, stories, etc. There’s no need to make myself small or invisible.
I can inhabit my space without “taking” from anyone else. It’s not a zero-sum game. In fact, only when we inhabit our spaces can we live in (and live out) our inherent dignity as human beings.
This reframe helps me understand and set better boundaries for myself - boundaries that evolve as I grow. Plus, when I inhabit my space, it allows me to better respect the boundaries of other people as they inhabit their own spaces.
It’s our dignity to inhabit our spaces.
To reframe today: How will you inhabit your space?