Space: You don't have much of it in New York City. Small apartments; where you learn to repurpose open pockets into meaningful storage. Crowded subways; where going toe-to-toe doesn't equate to fighting but merely surviving (a sweltering commute to work). Parking; where if you're lucky to have a car and street parking, you're somehow chained to both of them every Tuesday and Friday to meet the street cleaners' schedule.
You're not given much space in New York City. Instead, you learn to make some.
You're not given much space in your busy life. Instead, you learn to make some.
Making space is the only means for letting something new in–a concept I've adapted from yoga. In practice, you learn to create space in your body in order to reach wider, stretch deeper, hold positions longer. You learn that, over time, repetition and focus help you achieve space quicker, too.
To make room in your life for what you want to invite in–creativity, success, friendship, love–you need to create some space. A busy life is a badge of honor many New Yorkers proudly wear (present company included), but if you're already full, then where is the space for the new? Where is the space for a new client? For the next creative pursuit? For more adventure?
Well, there isn't.
You have to create the space where you want your life to change. And sometimes that means letting go of the tattered shoes that clutter your closet space, or the tired relationships that clutter your mind space. Of course, creating space–in New York City or anywhere–is painful. It's agitating. It's bittersweet bidding adieu to the sister life that could have been, but wasn't meant for you. But the more frequently you focus on identifying and giving up what doesn't fit, the quicker you'll have room for what's next. Soon, creating space won't agitate you, it will liberate you. Soon, you'll have made the space for your goals and dreams to come true.
Soon, you'll be ready for the next lesson New York has in store for you.