“Take up space.” Sitting with myself in my thoughts the other day and blurted this out loud.

I don’t feel I was raised in a time or place where I could completely and freely express all of who I was and really stretch into it. Raising my own kid I have tried to teach him to open his mouth and express himself. Ask without fear. Not to assume he knows others answers before he asks a question. I’ve tried to arm him with the confidence where he will not go into situations with the feeling he will be rejected or let down before asking. If he is let down after, then at least he had the confidence to ask and then has to learn to navigate through the discomfort.

I feel like as a young lady I was taught to be humble, a little quiet and sweet. (They at least tried) Being vain or bold as a girl can be pushy and unbecoming. As I get older I am proud of the shit I have endured or accomplished and sometimes I feel like being a little vain. Sometimes you need a pat on the back from yourself because nobody else is going to realize what you have accomplished and what it took! So I’m taking up that space, to applaud me and tell me how cute I am on the days I’m feeling it!

When I visit friends and family I try to leave a small footprint. I try to leave no trace where you don’t even notice I’m there. Sometimes I feel like an intruder even though I was invited. I don’t feel like this when I invite others into my space, so why do I put such stress on myself? I feel like I’m constantly annoying people or in their way. My point of saying to myself “take up space” was to be better at feeling deserving of space anywhere I am currently existing.

Now, I’m not saying blow through peoples worlds just to show you exist. Be kind of other people’s spaces. While simultaneously allowing them to take up their space.

This is a big world. People fearlessly say and do things every day without worrying if people are judging or watching. They take up space and make people see and hear them, good or bad.

When you are in any space or moment.. you should, feel it. Taste it. Smell it. See it. Touch it. Listen. Breathe it in with all your being.