Last week, I was unwinding at the end of the day with my earbuds in listening to a past episode of the Shameless Mom Academy podcast when I heard host Sara Dean deliver a revelation so astonishingly identifiable, so simple, but so goddamn difficult to swallow for far too many women. The female population needs to stop being so afraid and ashamed to take up space.
It may seem like a wacky concept, especially in a world that encourages the industry of health and wellness to help women shed weight, feel great, and take up less physical space. But self-confidence and power are found when we learn to take up MORE space in the world.
Everywhere we look, we are reminded of the many actions we are supposed to take, the behaviors we are supposed to exhibit, the ways in which we are to behave in order to blend in with the world around us.
To feel comfortable in our environment, a lot of us default to the ways in which we make ourselves feel small so that we can simply go unnoticed. We fold our arms in front of us, hunching our shoulders in ever so tightly when sitting around a conference table with our coworkers.
We apologize for inconveniencing others when we take a seat on a plane or bus, or when our shopping cart is in the path of another in the supermarket. We hold great ideas inside of us to avoid looking too bold, too extreme, or simply out of fear of being challenged.
Over time, our energy shrinks to the size in which we make our presence. And when that happens, we give up on our goals and watch others make the strides we could only ever dream of.
I’m here to challenge you to grow your energy. To extend your spiritual and physical presence wherever you go. To speak up in meetings, make your presence known, stretch your body as far as you can, own your authenticity and be unapologetic in your beliefs, your interests, your everyday life. Take up space even when it feels completely foreign and uncomfortable. You deserve the right to embrace the life you have and share your energy with the world around you.
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