Spiritual Insights for Navigating Life’s Shifts

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

~ Helen Keller

September is the beginning of my favorite time of year.?

Part of the reason I love that time of year is that it never fails to bring a great sense of "reset" to my mind and doorstep and lots of ideas for creations of all sorts.

It is also a time when I like to do "spring cleaning" throughout my life, from my refrigerator to my relationships, and especially with the Laura Perkins Mindful Living offerings (stay tuned for what's going on and what's new). It seems that nothing is so sacred that I do not give it a good look-see before deciding whether to keep it. My Ethical Business Coach, Caroline Leon, calls this taking stock, which is what it feels like I am doing right now in all areas of life. I guess some years are just bigger than others, or maybe the planets are aligned perfectly. Whatever it is, I like it and am a bit scared all at once.?

I have to say, compared to the rest of my life though, the refrigerator is easy peasy, in that if it smells, it goes. That is probably why I like to start there on a Monday morning instead of at my desk, where deciding what goes and what stays requires more patience, thought, strategy, and time.?

"Let go or be dragged."

~ Zen Proverb

Making Space and Filling Space

I suppose one leads to the other here; without room for what's new, there is very little space for what's coming our way, and this lack of space may leave us feeling overwhelmed, as the clutter of what no longer fits can take precious space in our minds as unstoppable thoughts, in our bodies as excess sensations and pain, and in our lives as overall clutter in our physical space and on the calendar. The water will seek level no matter how many caves we clear throughout the areas of our lives. We can be in a manageable depth simply by letting some go as new water from the sea arrives.??

Once we learn to let go of what's going and what no longer fits, our practice becomes to sit within the space created and in the unknown or known (and feels too big) aspect of that space. This uncertainty can be incredibly uncomfortable and will have some of us running, not walking, to fill all space in our lives without clear thought, care, or strategy.

When we find ourselves in this space, fear of the unknown can lead us to methods of operation like avoiding it with procrastination and distraction of ALL sorts, or filling it with unneeded tasks and items, or feeling an incredible urge to fill it with whatever comes along in our IG feed.?

I remember when my oldest child was deciding which university to attend at the ripe age of 17. We both felt the imminent space of no more high school and as good as it feels to accomplish 13 years of everyday schooling, the space ahead felt ginormous. College and then on the other side of that life...yikes! The decision was tied to something so big (her entire life ahead) that she felt overwhelmed, paralyzed, and somewhat avoidant ;) The conversation at this point with ourselves or the person asking for support is to 'right size' the situation with a simple thought like, "This is not forever. Perhaps you can choose a school; if you hate it or it feels wrong, you can revisit your choice." This was a definite case of the space being so big that the body, mind, and psyche were overwhelmed, so they each chimed in with all that could go wrong, and this confusion left her unsure of the next indicated step.

A simple reframe can allow us to return to the moment at hand or the bite in front of us. From a place of presence, we can feel regulated enough to choose with some clarity, allowing us to move forward with the day and/or life.?

So, as we move from late summer into Fall and from vacations back to school and work and everything else, let's all take a breath and remind ourselves that having space leads to filling space, and that cycle is infinitely continuing. We see it in nature and experience it in our lives, and with practice, we may strengthen our abilities to let go of what is, to make space for what life has to offer us, without controlling precisely what that might be.??

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

~ Peter Drucker

Mindfulness for Navigating Space

Embrace the Present Moment: Focus on the here and now as you feel, sense, and digest the space that is showing up. Engage your mind, body, and spirit in the moment at hand, allowing all feelings, emotions, and sensations that the space evokes to be received, recognized, and interesting. Only through mindfulness of where we are can we appreciate and have clarity on what is to come without distraction and fear.?

Practice Gratitude: As you contemplate and feel what is going and what is staying, take a moment to feel gratitude for that which never changes: the essence of you and your ability to connect to a blue or rainy sky, the call of a dove without a mate, or the sunset with a trust and confidence that the essence of you and your connection to Source will never not be. This practice brings a sense of calm to our central nervous system and our mind, so that the moment may be experienced complete as it is even with uncertainty present.? ?

Set Intentions: Before diving into your organizing, goal setting, and effort, set clear intentions for what you hope to feel, experience, and come away as being. Whether it's creating more physical space or emotional clarity, knowing what you intend to be in this world can greatly impact your ability to be guided through inspired action and choices in each moment.?

Stay Open to Impossibilities: Understand that making space for the new inherently breeds uncertainty. Embrace the unknown with curiosity and wonder of what could be rather than fear of what you don't want to be. Trust that your attention and intentions will guide you and naturally lead possibilities beyond your wildest imaginations (in a good way.) Remember, people flying was once an impossibility until two brothers brought the idea to life in a garage in Ohio (and that ain't "cringe, dumb or weird" #IYKYN #Genalpha.)?

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

~ A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh)

What about you? Have you been cleaning out your refrigerator or closets lately? If you have felt the pull to make space in any area of your life, I invite you to extrapolate that idea into your closets, relationships, work, and deep into your life so that we may all make room for what is next.

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