life lessons

Creating Space

by Katie Welker

Over the last year or so, I’ve been working with an incredible mindset coach. After working with a therapist on and off for over a decade, I wanted something similar to therapy, but with a stronger focus on the future and how I can live as my most authentic self. Therapy can offer those things too, but I needed to change it up.

While working with my mindset coach, I found myself eager to create more space in my life. It’s like my mind, body and soul were so full all of the time.

There would be times I would need to just sit down and cry. And the best way I’ve ever been able to describe it is that I just felt too full, and the only way I could make more room was to physically release tears from my body and empty out a bit.

And while that feels cathartic and helpful, I didn’t really want crying to be my only solution 😉

So I started to look at how else I could proactively make space.

I started to slow down so I could take a hard look at why everything felt so full.

I started getting to the root of it.

I started asking myself questions.

How was I spending my days? Not just in terms of time, but in terms of energy. Was I spending more time on things than I really needed to? Was I giving too much of my energy to areas that didn’t really value it? Where was I putting my focus? What was I letting reel me in? What did I enjoy? What did I do begrudgingly?

I started to get really curious. And my mindset coach helped guide me through these curiosities so that it was done in a positive, constructive way.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

  1. My grief deserves to be honored and felt, but it does not deserve to linger. Minimizing this creates space for so many other positive, happy emotions.
  2. You can love something and be good at it and still want space from it.
  3. Joy should always ride shotgun in the front seat.
  4. You can take things seriously and still be lighthearted.
  5. Treat others with respect, but put yourself first. You deserve to take up space.

It’s crazy how creating more space has not made me feel empty.

This space is just a conduit for better things to come in.

Because I actually still feel full, but in new ways.

Full of peace. Full of hope. Full of gratitude.

So I encourage you to pause and ask yourself, could you benefit from creating more space?

til next time

xo K

What it’s all about

by Katie Welker

Today I had a deep and newfound realization of how important it is to have close friends by your side throughout this crazy life.

And the realization came about while on my yoga mat.

Let me explain…

I just finished a six-week yoga challenge that was one of the most physically and mentally challenging things i’ve voluntarily done in quite awhile.

To complete the challenge, you’re required to take four hot yoga classes plus one educational workshop every week for six weeks straight. Not only was it challenging from a scheduling perspective, but it was also incredibly demanding on my body and a whirlwind on my mind.

Luckily one of my best girlfriends, Hannah, was there by my side. We signed up for the challenge together, and even though we didn’t take every class together, we were there to hold each other accountable and push through to the finish line.

It was not always easy. By week five I was in a “screw this, what the hell was I thinking?!” mood and nearly quit. I was so frustrated that I honestly started to resent yoga altogether.

But having a close friend to help me keep the silver lining in sight got me through it.

Tonight they held a celebratory yoga class for everyone who completed the challenge, and I was so drained that I almost bailed on it. I figured “I already did the challenge, why go to another class now when i’m exhausted and just want to stay home and read?”

But then two things happened:

  1. Hannah said she was going, so at least I knew I wouldn’t be there “alone”.
  2. My friend Brittany sent me the sweetest text message that, unknowingly to her, actually encouraged me to go because I knew it would be in the interest of good self care.

So I went. And shocking to probably no one, I had the BEST class.

There were over 60 people there so the positive energy was contagious. I had so much fun. I laughed. I smiled. I kicked ass in some of the more challenging poses i’ve been working on. And I just felt good.

As we closed out our practice my heart felt full and my body felt strong. In my mind, I thought back to the conversation I had with Brittany and realized, “this is what it’s all about.”

It’s about celebrating your accomplishments.

It’s about listening to your gut and being true to yourself.

It’s about recognizing who is by your side.

You need people in your life who can redirect you, nudge you in the direction of kindness, and guide you back to your best self.

After all, having friends there to remind you of those positive moments in life is what it’s all about.