Overwhelm is Optional
- This is the podcast for big-hearted, highly driven professionals who want their life back.
- Each week, we explore ways to gently rebel against the idea that overwhelm and exhaustion are just the price you pay for success. You don’t have to push through—it’s time to work with ease, reclaim your energy, and create the life you want.
- 💡 Meet Heidi Marke
I’m Heidi, a Coach, Teacher, Podcaster, and Author. Having painfully burned out—losing my career, confidence, health, and financial stability—I discovered a better way. Now, I quietly lead The Gentle Rebellion, helping you to:- Stop pushing through overwhelm.
- Redefine success on your own terms.
- Reclaim your time, energy, and life.
Thank you to purpleplanet.com for the music.
Overwhelm is Optional
Space for You: How to Gently Reclaim Ease Amid End-of-Year Chaos
This week, we’re diving into something we all long for but often struggle to find—space. Not just a gap in your schedule, but true space for you. The kind of space where your shoulders soften, your mind clears, and your heart feels light.
In this episode, we explore:
- Why space is more than a “to-do” or productivity hack.
- How to shift from the overwhelm of the season to a sense of spaciousness.
- A gently rebellious approach to creating space, even when it feels impossible.
- Practices to help you feel less squished and more at ease.
Plus, I share updates about my upcoming Create Your Gently Rebellious 2025 workshop on January 5th—a perfect opportunity to carve out space for what matters most to you in the new year.
Messy Journaling Prompts:
- If you had more space, what would you do with it?
- What would it feel like if you had a sense of spaciousness?
- What does space mean to you? How do you know when you have it? How does it feel in your body, your mind, and your heart?
Join me as we gently rebel against the chaos and create more ease, joy, and freedom.
✨ Create Your Gently Rebellious 2025 Workshop
📅 January 5th, 2025, 4:00 PM GMT
Sign up here: Create Your Gently Rebellious 2025 Workshop
Want the fastest most effective way to turn your overwhelm into the joy, satisfaction and ease you're working so hard for? Book a Curiosity Call and discover what it's like to be coached by me. I look forward to meeting you.
🎙️ Welcome to Overwhelm is Optional
This podcast was created to help big-hearted, driven professionals break free from overwhelm and experience more clarity, ease, and joy.
But here’s the exciting news… I’ve moved beyond overwhelm.
If you’ve been listening and resonating with this message, you’ll love what comes next.
I’ve created a new podcast: Deep Heartfelt Success—because success should feel as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.
🎙 Join me there → Search "Deep Heartfelt Success" on your favourite podcast platform and subscribe.
💡 Experience Deep Heartfelt Success for Yourself
Book a complimentary Deep Heartfelt Success Session—a no-pressure, transformative conversation designed to help you step into your next level of success with ease.
📅 Book here
📚 The Gently Rebellious One-Minute Journal
A simple, powerful way to stay focused on what matters most.
👉 Buy here
🌍 Website:
Explore practical tools, resources, and ways to work with me.
👉 Visit here www.heidimarke.co.uk
🎧 Free Audio: The One Minute Marke
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Welcome to the Gentle Rebellion where overwhelm is optional. Hello, hello, hello. Welcome to this week's episode. Let's talk about space. Space for you, the kind of space where you just feel at ease, your shoulders come away from your ears, your belly softens, your heart expands. Ah, space, true space. And by that I do not mean a gap in your schedule that you have wrestled for, that you have fought for and that when you reach that blessed space in your schedule, everything seems to crowd into it All the shoulds and the oughts and all of the things that you think you ought to be doing for yourself or other people, just take over that much bargained for, especially with yourself. Hey, space in your schedule, and then it's just all about overwhelm. You know like all these thoughts bomb you when you take that space, and the feeling of guilt about all of the other things you ought to be doing. Do you ever get that? I don't mean that kind of space, I mean a feeling of space in your life for you.
Speaker 1:And before we get started with that, I'm just going to give you a quick update about what I'm up to, because I know that a lot of people don't just want to know about how to create space for themselves. They also want to know more about who it is who's saying. This is how I've discovered space for myself, and also I know that people who have worked with me really appreciate a little catch up. So here goes what's going on with me? Loads of things. I'm going through this really weird time in terms of space. No, not space. I didn't mean that kind of space. I meant the space-time continuum. Oh my goodness, now I sound like I'm on Star Trek. Ignore not space. I don't mean that kind of space. I meant the space-time continuum. Oh my goodness, now I sound like I'm on Star Trek. Ignore all that. What I mean is I don't feel I'm in December.
Speaker 1:I don't. I feel like I'm in a different December. So there's big shifts going on for me personally. Now there'll be lots of reasons for that. I did think it was because I was away for nearly a month in America and then I've come back and there's all the catch-up jobs. I'm behind on things. I don't feel like it's yet December. But there's something else going on for me, because I feel very different this year, and I know a lot of that will be because I'm ready, because I've gently rebelled against the nonsense that leads me to need a huge rest in the winter. So I'm looking after myself better, I'm living more as myself, so I'm gently rebelling and that's giving me more energy. Also, I'm having coaching at the moment and it's deeply transformational. So obviously that's going to create shifts, because that's the purpose of having coaching. So this is what it feels like. It's December, it's early December, but it's definitely December.
Speaker 1:But I feel like I don't want to take two weeks off at Christmas. So I booked myself my normal two week retreat and then things kept encroaching into it, but not in the way I was talking about just now, where you create space and then stuff encroaches on it. No, the opposite way. So I found myself wanting to work in that time, really, really wanting to work. So I allowed myself to put in a workshop at the beginning of the year, again for my community, the Gentle Rebel community, because we did it last year and it was so powerful for everyone and I use the same technique. So me doing it again, holding space for others. That's nourishing for me, it's good for me, I love it, and to see the effect of it is just deeply satisfying. So I wanted to do that again, so I put a date in the community for that.
Speaker 1:And then I really felt drawn to the idea of doing another public workshop, and I've run them previously. They've had different names. One was a turn of the year pause. It was three workshops over the turn of the year. And then I also had in 2021, I had the. What was it called? Oh, so it would have been the end of 2020, obviously because it was Live 2021. On purpose, that was a three-part workshop, a paid workshop, so a mini course. That had profound effects for the people attending and I've regularly run workshops of some sort around the turn of the year.
Speaker 1:And then I stopped because I just wanted my life back at that time of year. I didn't want to be working at that time of year. And now here I am saying actually I really do, I really do. And that was interesting for me because I felt like I was breaking a rule, because obviously I've put in place all these boundaries around my time and the belief that was there was I need this time, I need a big winter reset. So taking two weeks for myself is very important. It's still important to me to have that winter time where I'm going within and really thinking, reflecting on my year, but what I'm finding this year is I don't need all of that time off to do it. I just don't Now. Is that because I had time off in September and went on my road trip? Maybe, who knows, in other ways? I found that coming back from the road trip meant I felt very tired because of the jet lag and also traveling. You know, the whole thing required energy. Now I seem to have recovered. I feel really well. I'm just I'm so excited. I just I don't want all that time off. So I've just shrunk it to only a week off or just over a week, and it feels really good, really good.
Speaker 1:And I think what's important about this is recognizing that the gender rebellion isn't about one way of doing things. It's about that constant and I mean one way of doing things individually. So obviously it's not about one way of doing things. It's never about you need to do this, you need to do this and this is the right way to start your day and end your day and all these routines and rules and stuff. No, it's none of those things. It's always an invitation. But the heart of the gender rebellion is the invitation to reject the external pressures and go within, reconnect yourself and say yes to yourself.
Speaker 1:Find what works for you, because clearly, if you're feeling really overwhelmed and pressured, something's off, something's not working. So it's just using that as an opportunity. It's useful information how can I navigate better, how can I live more skillfully, how can I make more space for me? And then what happens is what you set up works for a while and then it stops working or it doesn't work as well. And by stops working I don't mean all of the overwhelm and everything comes. You don't go backwards, it's just different. So look at what's happened to me this time. This time I suddenly am railing against deep rest, a long period of time off. I did not see that coming. I thought in my head the reason it was working so well was because I dared to shut down for the winter. It's really interesting how it shifts all the time, but it's very, very subtle and it's not big shifts.
Speaker 1:I think this is important. I know this is important because otherwise it's just too much disruption. Right? I don't need to be reassessing all the time, doing deep work all the time, no, it's like coaching. I don't believe every coach needs a coach. I don't need to be reassessing all the time, doing deep work all the time. No, it's like coaching. I don't believe every coach needs a coach. I don't believe every leader needs a coach. I don't believe you need a coach. I believe that you get to choose to do deep, transformational work or whatever. You're hiring a coach for when you want to. It's not.
Speaker 1:It's not a need, although in many ways it's a need because when it becomes a desire, it's just easier. Then it becomes a need, as in a need for support yeah, I want that, I'm having that. That makes sense to me but not a need, as in you can't do this without a coach. That really annoys me. When I hear it a lot. I mean you probably don't, you're not, obviously not unless you're a coach. You're not in the coaching industry, the coaching world, but I hear that a lot. You ought to have a coach and I know people who say they have coaches for every different aspect of their life and I just think why Do you not trust yourself? Can you not at some point let go of the need for that? I don't know, and that sounds like a, a judgment, and I guess it is a judgment, but it's not meant as a judgment of that person. It's just a um, a rebellion against that, a gentle but firm rebellion where I believe deeply the answers are inside of us and that when we create space for ourselves, that's what the space is for. It connects us back to ourselves, and I can't remember why. I was talking about that now.
Speaker 1:So let's get back to updates. Another update is my Christmas plans. All over the place. I don't know what's going on. That's not normal. That's interesting. Watching that, watching my feelings about it, watching my boundaries, watching me identify what I need and desire. I'm curious about how the week's going to pan out. Lots of other people involved, so it's the family chess game, or several family chess games of who, when, what? So that's interesting and unusual.
Speaker 1:This year my granddaughter has learned to walk, but isn't that bothered about it, which is really funny and very sweet. But she can do it, but she's kind of yeah, I could just sit here instead and people will bring me stuff, or I think she's actually a big imaginer, you know. She's just all dreamy in her head. She's sweet. What else is going on?
Speaker 1:Just every day, the dogs bring me more joy than I can possibly ever explain, and no matter how difficult at times it feels to run a business, build a business, have the courage to spread a message that I've discovered, that works for me and I know works for others. And sometimes that feels like, oh my goodness, is there not an easier way to find satisfying work, heidi? But just if that's. If there's one thing that will keep me grounded and and, to be fair, there's nothing that's going to stop me doing this work. It's just not going to happen. It's just me. But there's one thing that always soothes me. It's getting to hang out with my dogs at home. I, it's just man.
Speaker 1:It's joyful, and if you've ever had a Zoom cuppa with me, you'll know what I mean, because often little Ruby will come up and sit on my lap just to say hello, she's super cute. If you haven't yet had a Zoom cuppa with me, please do book one. It's interesting, isn't it? Because I don't really use. I don't usually offer a Zoom cuppa.
Speaker 1:I only usually put out a Calendly link for a curiosity call about working with me. But part of that is just sitting down. A big part of that is sitting down and having a cup of tea. So you could book in for a cup of tea. Maybe I should just create a cup of tea link. Would you like that? I don't know.
Speaker 1:I love, I love sitting down and talking to people who are interested in this, this gender rebellion. I love sitting down and listening to people's struggles with overwhelm and the desire for more space for themselves. So I'll just use the curiosity call link it's in the show notes and it's also on my website and do come and say hello, it would be lovely. Or come and join me. Oh, this is what I've got for you. So one of the big things I'm up to at the moment is creating this New Year's workshop. It's going to be so good. I can't wait. I can't wait to meet you. Please, please, please, come live. I mean, yeah, I'm going to put it on YouTube in some form afterwards, but it won't be the same. So I'm having it on the 5th of January at 4pm GMT.
Speaker 1:Because I worked out I put all these times into Time Zone Wizard. It's fun doing that just to get a sense of the globe and time zones, because they always do my head in and then I worked out that if I did it at 4 pm UK time, then obviously everybody in Europe is okay, and then even people on the east and west coast of America, so my friends and cousins and everybody in America can make it, and I discovered that actually even early birds on the other side of the world could come before going to work the next day if they were so inclined. So, actually and I know there'll still be somebody in the middle of the night and I'm not expecting you to get up in the middle of the night to do a workshop with me, because sleep's important, but anyway, I'm so excited that I found a time that feels good for me, because I'm only going to do it at a time. I've been invited to do shows, live shows, at midnight. I'm like no, and people have been really surprised when I've turned them down. But why would I do something when I'm not going to be at my best, when I'm not going to be able to make sense and have the right energy and attention? That makes no sense to me. So, no, I don't do stuff at midnight, but 4pm on a Sunday in the winter to hold space for you while you connect yourself and use a review of this year to make next year yours, your gently rebellious 2025.
Speaker 1:I'm really looking forward to it. I shall pop a sign up link in the show notes, and I will also sprinkle easy sign up links all over the place so that you can definitely find them if you forget to look in the show notes. So, social media oh where else could I put them in my? Obviously, if you're signed up to my email list and you receive the gently rebellious read every sunday morning, you'll definitely get an invitation in there. I'm very, very excited about this. I truly hope you can make it. Please, please, please, do sign up. And if you know anybody who would like the gift of this workshop, which has been a paid workshop before, then that's like that'd be a really cool Christmas gift to give to somebody. So I was thinking of you and I thought you might appreciate this. It's going to be, obviously, it's going to be high quality. So, anyway, really looking forward to meeting you, hope you can make it.
Speaker 1:I think we better stop talking about my updates at the moment. Oh, the other thing. Oh, no, I will just mention this because it's kind of it's kind of an update, but it's it's also. You need to know this. So, on top of the workshop that I'm creating, the other thing that I'm really excited about creating is the Gently Rebellious Journal, journal, planner.
Speaker 1:I haven't worked out the difference between those. I cannot work out the difference between a journal and a planner. Sorry, a journal and a planner. So when you look on Amazon, there's both. I don't get it. I don't really understand. So what this will be. This is, and I'm trying. You can see how much thought I've put into this because I'm working with these dilemmas.
Speaker 1:I don't want it to be too big, because it's too clunky and you can't carry it around. I need to put space so you can scribble in it, but I don't want to put too much space because then it's too heavy, it's too bulky and also the entire principle of messy journaling is that you don't keep it, so you burn it or destroy it afterwards, so you don't have to worry about it looking perfect. That's really important. So what is going to be in there? Well, there's definitely not going to be any dates in there, because what I've worked out is that it's really annoying when you buy a journal or planner and there's dates and you've missed some of the dates, or I don't know, or you miss, you don't do it for a few days and I don't know.
Speaker 1:I don't want that pressure. I want you to. I want you to buy it for the beginning of the year because I want you to start 2025 with the support to make it yours your most gently, rebellious you year ever. However, I also want you to be able to pick it up at any point and not feel like you've missed out, that you can just write the date in on that day and restart with ease, without beating yourself up, without any guilt, without oh, my goodness, I meant to do this and I haven't done it, because it's really that's really important to me.
Speaker 1:So it's going to have a lot of not masses of information, because it's not a book, it's not overwhelming, it's mainly about creating the space for you, but it's going to have an outline of the principles of the Gentle Rebellion for you to keep a reminder there for you for the year. It's going to have gently, rebellious reminders each week to ground you in the gentle rebellion, in your commitment to yourself, reconnect you to yourself. It's going to really support you in what you discover during the workshop. If you choose to come, if you choose not to come, there will be a small exercise in there which is like a short summary, where you can do that for yourself to start your year really connected to yourself and what your heart longs for, what your body needs, how to support your mind and staying focused and committed to what you really want. It's going to have what you need without overwhelming you, with space for you to write in there, without feeling like you need to sit down for an hour. So just give you. You could just write one sentence or one word in it, or just glance at it first thing in the morning to set your intention for the day and then let go of your day at the end of the day day and then let go of your day at the end of the day.
Speaker 1:So I'm still in the process of deciding what makes the cut, what needs to be in there, what's of high value and what's superfluous, because obviously everything I do is about creating space for you, reducing overwhelm, reducing pressure. So for me, a lot of it is removing stuff from what I write. So for me, a lot of it is removing stuff from what I write. Anyway, that's coming soon. I'm hoping I will have it published all very, very soon. I'm getting very excited, so make sure you're ready for that. I'd really appreciate your support in getting some reviews on Amazon to help other people find it as quickly as possible. Anyway, that's what's going on. So there'll be two things to support you if you choose to accept them the journal and the free workshop on the 5th of January. Hope you can gift both of those to yourself. Anyway, let's talk about space Space for you, how to get it.
Speaker 1:So this is a big one for me, because I spent years trying to solve this problem. So when I was teaching, I really struggled to find space for myself. That was the thing that I knew I needed in order to be okay, in order to stop this dilemma between I love my job, but it's killing me. It was killing me because I didn't have space for myself. Finding space in my day was literally impossible. I mean, it's just a roller coaster of madness, really is a roller coaster of madness. But then, even though I created space for myself at home, it didn't work. It didn't feel like enough. It was never enough. Sometimes it was and it was good. So often things would work for a while. Prioritizing a slow start to my day that could be helpful. Time to journal that could be helpful. Prioritising things like massages can be helpful. Making sure I took holidays there were things that I put in place that definitely helped.
Speaker 1:However, the feeling that there was space for me, oh my goodness. I often just felt very squished, very crushed, but not all the time, because if it had been all the time, I would have broken free sooner. In actual fact, when I think about it, I was thinking about this, about burnout, what it actually is or what it was for me and, yes, I was utterly exhausted, unwell, felt like I was going mad. You know, it was awful. However, what's interesting is, at the moment I quit my job, I went back, I served my notice, which was two to three months.
Speaker 1:Now, if I had been unable to continue, I wouldn't have gone in. In fact, that would have been very sensible. I could have called in sick. I didn't. I forced myself to go in every day and I hated it, and I really mean force. I forced myself to go in every day and I hated it, and I really mean force. I forced myself to go in every day because I didn't want to let anyone down. That doesn't make any sense, because if, by definition, I was burnt out and couldn't get out of bed, couldn't do it, then how did I manage to? So me.
Speaker 1:There's something else going on there and I think for me, it's the I was unwilling to. I had reached the point where I refused, I'd hit this wall of. I'm no longer willing to trade my very beingness in order to do this job. That no longer brings me satisfaction because I've lost connection to it. It doesn't work for me anymore. So there's an unwillingness, and that, to me, comes from not feeling like there's space for me in my life. This is very deep, this space for ourselves very deep.
Speaker 1:And you might be thinking well, Heidi, this is not the time of year to be trying to create more space for myself. This is a particularly overwhelming time of year. Yes, it is, and that's why it's a really good time to talk about space for you, because when things are going okay, it's not urgent enough to do anything about it, is it? It's a wishful thing, it's like well, that would be nice, it would be really, really nice if I felt like I had more space for myself. It's only actually when there isn't any space for you that it becomes urgent enough to demand some attention. So, in actual fact, it could be argued and I'm going to argue for this case for you, that this is the perfect time of year to think about creating more space for you, because there isn't any space. And look what it's doing to you. Look what it's doing to you, look at the cost. What does it feel like? How does it change how you behave towards yourself and others?
Speaker 1:So, thinking about the clients I've worked with over the past few weeks and their experience of this, one of the things that came up was an inability to prioritize. Everything becomes urgent, everything floods in. There isn't any space to just pause and think what was I doing? What am I up to? Why am I trying to do? Why is all this? Suddenly, everything becomes urgent. Everything feels chaotic, out of control. There is no space to pause, there's no overview, there's no control. You're just swept along. Swept along in this crazy, like flood water. It's too much. The tide is pulling you. Think about the undertow, then. What's that from? The tide is pulling you the undertow. That's a joke from some book, isn't it? I've no idea what I'm talking about. If anybody knows, I'd love to know what's the undertow is from some book.
Speaker 1:I've got this image of the. You know you're in the sea. Have you ever been in the ice to windsurf? And I once got caught in a riptide and ended up a mile down the beach. It was so embarrassing. I was more worried about being embarrassed because you should never let that happen. As a windsurfer, you know better. You know about winds and tides and how powerful the sea is, because you're using the power of the wind in the sea to propel yourself along and have fun. So it's just ridiculous to need to be rescued. Anyway, the undertow got me and I had to walk back, which is not easy with a sail and a board when you're tiny.
Speaker 1:Anyway, why am I talking about that? Because that's what it feels like, isn't it? That's what life can often feel like there's no space for you. That is a feeling of no space, that lack of control, that being pulled this way and that, and just wondering, or not even having the space to wonder. It's not until you realise afterwards oh my goodness, no wonder I feel so tired and it can feel crushing, really crushing, I know. For me it definitely felt like I was being squished, like squished into a space, just not my shape. It wasn't my life. This is not the life I intended to create. It wasn't my life. This is not the life I intended to create.
Speaker 1:Now, when, when we learn to create space for ourselves, it's about so much more than creating a gap in your schedule. Gaps in schedules can be helpful. It's a good start, but if, when you create that gap, it's cost you energy. You've had to bargain for it, not least with yourself, and then, as soon as you have that space, you can't be in it because everything rushes in, including guilt, all the shoulds and the oughts and the other things you could be doing with this time and space, and the fear of disappointing others, letting others down when all that rushes in instead, disappointing others, letting others down when all that rushes in instead. Well, it's not the best way to get space, is it? What you really want is both. You want a feeling of space, so there's enough space in your life for you, like it's set up for you. The rhythms of your life work for you. They energize you, they nourish you.
Speaker 1:Instead of being pulled along on a riptide, instead of the undertow getting you, you're surfing the waves, a bit like windsurfing. I remember windsurfing, and when you finally get to the point where the board lifts slightly and it's called planing and you can just hear this, it's the most delightful sound and it feels like you're one with the wind and the board and the sail and the sea. Everything just comes together until you get chucked off, because I was never that skillful. But anyway, that's what, what that's to me, what space feels like. It's like oh, it just works for me.
Speaker 1:I'm in a state of flow. I'm flowing through my day, able to identify and make choices that feel joyful. It just feels easier. It's not a big deal. I'm not having to second guess everything. I overanalyze everything. I'm not overusing my mind. I'm not stuck in second guess everything, overanalyze everything. I'm not overusing my mind. I'm not stuck in my head overwhelmed by all the shoulds, coulds, oughts and then the fears of disappointing others and all of that nonsense. I just am. I just know who I am and feeling confident. My life is set up for me. It works. I'm able to prioritize and because I'm able to prioritize and because I'm able to prioritize, it feels like things are calmer. It feels like things are under control. Really, nothing's ever under control, is it?
Speaker 1:We try to control the universe and rearrange the world so we feel better, so we feel safe. But, man, we really can't. We cannot control the universe to suit ourselves. But what we can do is find within us the space where we feel at ease, and then we don't need to rearrange things externally to to feel like like that, to have space for joy and ease and calm. It just is. It's just our natural state of being. When you tap into that, woohoo.
Speaker 1:So for me, space is about the connection to myself that gets lost in the demands and excitement of the world. It's a feeling. It's a feeling that there's room for my needs, my wants, my desires, that there is space for me to breathe out, to take up my space because my space exists. My shoulders literally move away from my ears when I think about this space. I just am, I exist. I'm loved and lovable regardless. Just am, I exist. I'm loved and lovable regardless. I'm not negotiating that natural space that I need to take up in order to live the full life that I desire. It just is Now.
Speaker 1:How do you get that? Because this sounds all wonderful. How do we get it? Well, I would argue, the first thing is to notice when you feel like that, is to notice when you don't feel like that. When do you not feel like that? Is there anything you can do about it? Can you change how you move through your day. It's easier to change how we move through our day than it is to change the day, and we have to start with the easiest thing, otherwise it's too much. And we have to start with the easiest thing, otherwise it's too much. It's too much to make big, wild disruptions like quitting your job or trying to change other people.
Speaker 1:It is easier and, I would argue, far more effective to pause and notice how you feel, to gather information about yourself and how you're moving through your day, and then to drop the judgment about it, to get out of your head into your body, to feel whatever you're feeling without trying to change anything, to listen deeply to yourself, to listen deeply to yourself, what you're doing here, apart from developing the wonderful skill of being a neutral observer, the beautiful non-judgmental awareness that comes from meditating for years or sometimes the practice of yoga, all sorts of things. What all the ancient wisdom traditions are talking about is this ability to observe without judgment, non-judgmental awareness. My technique for that, as you know if you've been around here for a while, is neutral noticing, noticing completely neutrally how you feel, dropping the judgment, just noticing. From there you get to know yourself, you get to love yourself, you get to see what's going on. You are actually holding space for yourself. As you do this space for yourself, as you do this, and as anyone who's ever been deeply listened to by someone knows, having the space held for ourselves is one of the biggest gifts we can give ourselves. It's why I have a coach, it's why people come to me for coaching.
Speaker 1:Having space held for you, where you just get to be, that is space. So I would invite you, instead of trying to find impossible solutions, instead of trying to desperately squeeze space in your schedule for you, I invite you to start by pausing for a moment and noticing, completely neutrally, how you feel. I invite you to connect deep within yourself and listen to yourself and just notice. Allow space for whatever comes up, without trying to change it, without wishing it was different. Just notice, gently, rebelliously, turn your attention away from the external demands of the world and focus just on you for a moment. Give yourself the gift of space Right now and then at any moments during your day.
Speaker 1:If you take a moment here and there through your day to give yourself space, you will feel like there's more space for you, because the space is internal. True space is internal. It's a feeling. It is taking up your space. It is the unravelling of the tightness and the squishiness inside. The squishedness, not squishiness. Squishiness is like a warm, comfy sofa. Squishiness is a restriction.
Speaker 1:I'm going to leave you with a messy journaling prompt to just so for messy journaling. Quick recap if you don't know, there's an episode on this, you can go to the website of the Overwhelmers Optional podcast and there's a search bar. If you put in messy journaling, you'll get a whole episode on it. However, if you just want a quick prompt, messy journaling is when you write not to record. You write without clear purpose. There is a purpose, but it's not a mind-based purpose, so you're not writing for posterity or to even read it back.
Speaker 1:The idea is to get out of your head into your body and ask the question to your body and your heart and then allow the pen to move across the page and get curious about what comes out. And because the mind moves faster than the body, we have to let go of the need to write perfectly, the need to finish sentences, the need to spell properly, and just allow, allow the flow and see what happens. I mean, you have to get curious. It's a little bit crazy, but it works because you get a deeper answer. This is it's actually faster, but it can be tricky. Not everybody loves it. That's okay. You can just journal out instead. It's up to you, but there's an invitation there to know. Find out more about this. Actually come to the workshop because we'll be using it and then you can see and have the space held for you and you might find it easier.
Speaker 1:Anyway, here's a messy journaling question for this week. If you had more space, what would you do with it? And then an even better one? What would it feel like if you had a sense of spaciousness? Basically, what does that feel like to you? What is space to you? How do you know when you have it? How does it feel in your body? What happens to your mind when you have it? How does it feel in your heart? What does space mean to you? What is the feeling for you at this point in your life? I'm wishing you a week full of spaciousness. Thank you for being here. Please do share this podcast, leave a review. I very much appreciate it. For more resources to help you gently rebel, please visit my website wwwheidimarkcouk.
