Making Space

Dear Reader,

It’s the middle of January and, in my humble abode, it’s time to make space to plant “seeds” for the future. You might be thinking: “Well, I set my resolution and I’ve already started on my goals! Making space sounds like a step backward.”

Reviewing your existing spaces won’t move you forward or backward. Rather, it’s a way to clearly set boundaries, both physical and mental, so you can continue making art.

I can’t speak for you, of course, but if you’re like me you probably have a full plate already. So, if you want to add anything new (or revisit a favorite activity), you’ll need the space to do it. That could be something as simple as finding a half hour a day or you might need a couple of hours, instead.

When you start pursuing your goals, you might assume half an hour is something you can easily manage—until your goal turns out to be more complicated than you thought or your other obligations require a lot more time. Often, in today’s productivity-is-king world, I find it’s incredibly easy to either overcommit or struggle to find balance between making stuff and refilling your creative well.

In this spirit, January’s smol goal is to review and identify the spaces where you’re spending time. Here are some areas to help you quickly record your spaces and clarify where you’re making effort.

• Family, friends, loved ones

• Faith

• Bodywork

• Career

• Volunteering/ Community

• Personal/ Self-Care

• Fun

In your list, you might name a physical location, like someone’s house, the gym, etc., or an online community like a Discord channel or online game.

Then, use this list to devise your next journalling prompt. The great news is that you’ll wind up telling yourself what you need. You might identify that there’s some spaces you need to spend less time in or find that you only have a few hours a week to spend on your goals. In this way, you’ll quickly review your spaces so you can pivot before you lose sight of your goals.

Before I leave you, I want to recognize that a) it's an election year in the U.S. and b) there's a lot of terribul AF and depressing sh*t happening right now. If you’re happy to “just survive 2024” or, alternatively, to do something fun—those are both legitimate and admirable goals that still require some amount of effort and space. Try journalling about your spaces even if your goals are different from mine. After all, both self-care and entertaining ourselves require space. Hopefully, you’ll find that time!

Wishing you warmth, safety, great food, and the company of loved ones.

Warmly,

Monica