Mind Your Space and Stay Present

Life is a challenge, particularly right now.

I was an ’80s teenager- Generation X- the generation everyone ignores now.

We were the last generation with dial phones, told to play outside and come home at dark. We were the generation told the world was going to end; you can hear it in the music

“It’s the End of The World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”, 1987 R.E.M. 

And you can see it in the escapist movies.

Say Anything (1989)

Breakfast Club (1985)

 Our parents were distracted.

Three Mile Island- 28 March 1979. As the child of someone who worked there, my 80s were colored by managing nuclear waste.

The rest of the world had Chernobyl on 26 April 1986.

To cap off the 1980s, we had the Persian Gulf War, which began in 1991.

Today, the wars and disasters are different- Russian/Ukraine and massive climate disasters.

I didn’t know it at the time, but the 80s taught me mindfulness- the art of being present.

The only way to be a unicorn and not get thrown to the wolves was to mind my space.  I allowed myself to simply be me.

Were there consequences? Sure. I was considered unapproachable, a loner, outspoken, and “authority be damned” in an area of the country that relied on conformity to exist. I was a teenager and happy to embrace those consequences.

“Mind your space” was a survival tactic that turned into the gift of profound presence- an ability to ignore and filter out the ‘cool kids’ and, later, well-meaning marketers selling techniques that didn’t feel aligned. That allowed me to stay connected to my authentic self, my unicorn self, during an immensely difficult time in my life.

“Mind your space”, being mindful, being present, no longer means ignoring what is happening around me. Now, it is not only the ability to discern what is authentic to me but also to consider the potential impact of my actions on others. That does not mean taking responsibility for others reactions or actions. It does mean taking responsibility for what is in my sphere of control.

It means knowing your response to the grumpy lady delivering your groceries has the capacity to add to her negative load or to lighten her day, and making a considered choice about how you respond to her.

Years ago, becoming a business owner brought new meaning to minding my space. For example, staying authentic while navigating social media, and being fully present with clients, listening with your whole self- body, mind, and intuition- and providing considered, nuanced guidance, are all ways to keep my space feeling safe and clean and vibration high.

“Mind your space” helps you avoid comparing yourself and your business to others by encouraging you to embrace your journey as it is right now. It keeps you present to the very real things impacting your time and mental energy, from relationships to chronic illness and family celebrations.

Ways to mind your (business) space:

·      Ground and center, frequently,

·      Make time for rituals that feed your soul,

·      Cultivate an understanding of “The Butterfly Effect”*

·      Help your clients mind their space,

·      Use your intuition to find the people who understand you,

·      Identify the tools and techniques that work for you, that allow you to be authentic, and run with them,

·      Embrace your unicorn-y weird self and share it,

·      Accept that you won’t be a match for everyone

·      Concentrate on what you are doing and how you are doing it- What is your vibration? What is your intent? Are you inviting people in with fear or aspirations?

·      Ask “What can I do right now to shift or maintain my energy?”,

·      Prioritize self-care,

·      Consume only enough news to stay aware,

·      Accept that you cannot fix everything for everyone,

·      Embrace the idea that your actions and thoughts matter,

·      Allow the world to fall apart as you “mind your space”.

 Minding your space allows you to maintain the highest vibration possible. Your energy- your vibration- travels away from your space and impacts everything around you. You are the Butterfly Effect.

The concept, “mind your space”, has served me well through the best and worst times. It will manifest a personal peace that can be difficult to find in this world. Does it mean you will always be in that space? No, there are days when I question everything and want to hide under the covers. But I always come back to

 For ways to “mind your space” or to uplevel your mindfulness practice, grab 17 Practical Ways to Weave Mindfulness into Your Day, find it here, or copy and paste this link into your browser (https://consciousbusinessanswers.kit.com/17).

*The Butterfly Effect is an idea in chaos theory that describes how small changes to a complex system’s initial conditions can produce dramatically different outcomes.