Last night I was helping my sister clean out her fridge (well, mostly watched her, but helped some too). It got me thinking – because we were doing this at 10pm – about my issue with leaving things undone, messy or disorganized. I know I’m not alone in this one, but I’m the type of person who can’t sit down to do a “thinking” project or work until my physical space is clear.
I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. Every time I have a creative project or an idea I need to flesh out, I find myself organizing my house or my space in some way. Clearing stuff out, throwing stuff away, or just simply, cleaning. And when I feel like things are more in order, then I sit and get it done. Whatever it was.
Now fast forward to me at 35. Having become a more consistent meditator in the last 3 years, I now see what’s really going on. I am visual and kinesthetic first, by way of learning. So my way, without knowing it, to create mental space in my life, was to get to cleaning or organizing my physical space. I still use this form of “meditation” all the time, but now I am aware of what I’m trying to do. I am trying to get to the quiet in my mind.
Many people think meditation is inaccessible or “not for” them. What you might not realize, is that you may already have a way to slip into a more meditative state. Perhaps you are a runner and have found you enjoy running because it gives you that mental space through the physical freedom and exertion. Maybe you like to build, bake, or cook. Perhaps you sit outside in nature, or you’ve picked up the newly popular coloring habit! It doesn’t matter what it is, it matters what it does for you. I am a very social introvert – meaning I love being around people, but I am reenergized by time alone, and in particular, quiet time. It’s kind of ironic to realize this when I’m knee deep in toddlers/kids, but perhaps that has just highlighted the need more for me. I forsake sleep each morning to give myself the quiet time to open my day as I like. I am most likely to be the one to turn the radio off in the car to steal a moment of silence. I prefer to clean the bathroom before writing an important email. It’s my external arranging so that the internal stuff can get to where I need it to be. I guess I like my surroundings to reflect the state I want my interior to be. It’s too bad it’s not as easy to settle the mind as it is to clean a house!
What do you do to create space in your mind? What’s your thing? I’d love you to share!