Giving Yourself Space to Breathe
Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel
With so many things going on in the world it’s easy to find yourself on a merry-go-round that never stops. Fortunately, SurfWriter Girls recently learned about a Japanese concept that can help to put on the brakes.
The Japanese concept of Yutori – “living with spaciousness” – is the opposite of riding the merry-go-round. It’s a philosophy that embraces slowing things down and giving yourself “room to breathe.” More than just physical space, it emphasizes mental and emotional space to take in the world around you and savor it.
Yutori is essentially a refusal to rush. It calls on you to focus on being in the moment, to appreciate the beauty around you and the joy of life.
A core factor of Yutori is contentment, the feeling of being at peace and not putting undue pressure on yourself to always be “doing” something.
While achieving the ideals of Yutori may seem unattainable, especially in a society that values multi-tasking, it can start with simple steps. One thing the Japanese do to slow down is to leave early when they’re going someplace. That way they don’t feel rushed if it takes longer to get there. And, if they see someone they know on the way, they have time to stop and talk.
Taking time-outs from your phone or computer periodically can also enable you to focus on the present – doing an activity you enjoy like reading or a hobby. Or simply allowing for periods of quiet and stillness to relax and be at one with your environment or to explore your thoughts.
Scheduling intentional gaps in your daily activities is another way to give yourself space. To let your mind wander, to dream, be creative and recharge. Even ten-minute mini-breaks throughout the day can work wonders.
So can adopting Yutori’s minimalist approach. Decluttering your physical space and schedule so that you can see the things that really matter.
Japanese cleaning expert extraordinaire Marie Kondo emphasized this in her bestselling book, the life-changing magic of tidying up, introducing the world to the calming effects of decluttering to create spaciousness in our environment and mind.
And realizing that less is more.
Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.
