Dear Self, You Are Allowed To Take Up Space

How many of us shrink ourselves? Whether to appease other people, avoid arguments, or even simply neglect making decisions, we’ve all done it at one point or another. But my therapist told me a few months ago, ” You are allowed to take up space.” Let that sink in. No matter how you feel, being alive gives you the right to take up space.

As a woman, I feel we are especially susceptible to it. We tend to be seen, as well as see ourselves, as secondary, dependant and less than capable because our skills don’t match a mans. But here’s the thing: women aren’t in competition with men because we are each on separate paths. Men can do what men can do because that is the way God designed them. Same with women. We are made to compliment a man, not replace him.

That being said, we are still very much allowed to stretch our wings and hold our own, as are men. Everyone has the right to decide what they want and to do that thing. No one is more qualified than another in that aspect. When it comes to life, we are all on the same page with the same ability to take up space and be seen.

Sure it can seem scary, but fear is a liar. It can’t jump out of the bushes and attack you. It’s just a voice in your head we tend to give too much power. When you learn to control fear, that’s when your life will begin. Every good thing that will happen to you is sitting on the other side of fear. Don’t hold yourself back because of a voice in your head.

“Choose to take up space. Choose to honor your feelings. Choose to give yourself permission to get your needs and wants met. Choose you.” – Edison Sage Kondjeni

So remember, you are allowed to take up space. If you want to do something, you can do that. You don’t have to get permission to live your life. Don’t let people bully you or rush you into doing something. Do life on your terms and your speed. Being YOU gives you that right.

Time can feel like it’s getting away from you, but it isn’t. Give yourself permission to feel your way through the good times and the bad times. Be confident in your decisions. Stand up for you. Realize no one else on the planet is you and that is your superpower. Don’t try to mold yourself to make someone else happy, stay true and let the world see you as you are.

God made you YOU for a reason. Don’t try to change yourself. Seek out growth, but never lose sight of who you are inside. Be firm in your decisions. Trust your gut. Keep walking forward, even if it’s at a crawl. Slow progress is better than no progress at all.

I believe in you. You believe in you too.