YOU ARE FREE TO WELCOME PEACE HOWEVER POSSIBLE
If you have ever done live performances before, such as theater, music, or dance, then you may have some concept of needing to be “stage ready.” The importance of pre-show preparation often entails being fully dressed and in position well before curtain call. This necessity of readiness often entails completing all warm-ups and run-throughs before the audience is admitted.
Just as performers prepare extensively to be stage ready, we may at times find ourselves having to prepare to perform in our daily lives––work meetings, difficult conversations, social gatherings ––not only do we have to be present and do our part, but we also have to be mentally and emotionally prepared for the demands of these roles. In this way, any kind of “performing” in daily life becomes about so much more than simply doing the task, but about hidden pressures that others might not even notice. Even when you love the craft, it can still take a lot of you.
Even if you are not in a position where you are able to stop everything in life for a long, rejuvenating break, just recognizing the need for space where you don’t have to be in preparation mode is a starting point. You are free to begin considering things that you may like to change.
A place where I can just be myself for a little bit, and catch up on the things that are important to me
A setting where I do not have to engage in every social expectation
An environment where I can talk for a while without fear that I’m being “too much”
A place where I don't have to feel bad for leaving early if my social battery is low
A space where I can recharge without having to explain my need for solitude.
For all of the reasons why it might be difficult to find spaces and environments like this in one’s life, that is all the more reason to begin naming and being aware of the value of such things. This isn’t about trying to find a perfect place nor is it about needing to be this version of ourselves that is solely focused on never being “on.” In fact, there are a lot of different factors as to why someone might have to be in a “stage ready” state of some kind. Instead, this is about recognizing that that when it gets tiring and exhausting, we are still allowed to start consider:
What might it look like for me to have a space where I feel free to just breathe?
Do I already have that space?
And if so, how can I spend more time there?
And if I don’t have that space, what might it look like to pursue that?
Are there any other people out there who are seeking this kind of space too?
And if so, how might I connect with them?
These are questions you can take your time in approaching. Allow these questions to be a form of possibility-expansion: a way to start creating small shifts right here where you are.
Continue to name your need for space, whatever that looks like. Even if you don’t have it yet, you are free to take time exploring the possibility of what it could be. You’re allowed to start considering what you might like to change and what you might need to carry on so that you still have room to breathe.
Embrace the journey to find your breathing room.
More in this week's series called "Building Awareness, Cultivating Gratitude", only with a subscription in the Storyteller App.
More tomorrow…
Sincerely,
Morgan Harper Nichols
@thestorytellerco
@morganharpernichols
