Well, hello there. My name is Morgan Harper-Nichols. I'm an artist and a writer, and this is a space where I share words that I hope can make a little room for you to slow down and take a few deep breaths as you prepare for whatever lies ahead. Thanks for being here today. And now on to today's episode. The other day I saw a big tractor trailer

trying to cross a busy intersection. As I watched a driver maneuver across the many lanes of

traffic, the first thing I thought was I could never take up that much space.

I always worry that someone behind me might be thinking that I'm taking too long to cross the

intersection or that I'm not crossing the intersection correctly. The pressure of their silent

judgment can create so much anxiety over things that are beyond my control.

And as I thought about this scene, I realized that I'm actually like that in a lot of areas of my life.

I feel uncomfortable taking up space and being seen and I hesitate to put myself in a position where I have to make

tough decisions.

It can be incredibly difficult to take on a leadership role or to speak up and voice our opinions

without feeling the need to justify them.

And as a tractor trailer successfully crossed the intersection, I started to wonder what life

would look like if I allowed myself to not only take up space, but to take my time figuring out

how to do so. While we may often associate taking up space with highly visible roles and actions. There are many scenarios

where simply writing a letter or responding to a message is just as notable. There is no correct

way to take up space. To take up space can be any action that forces us to expand our imagination

beyond our self-imposed limits. Whether it's trying a new art form or branching out into a

new social scene or taking on new responsibilities at work, it is important to find joy in learning

to see ourselves differently.

In learning how to take up space,

we must also learn how to take our time

with figuring out how to do so in a way that feels safe

...