These past months, as the world has often come roaring in with so much intensity, I have been practicing taking in the good while holding my heart open to the very many people whose lives have hung in the balance of a changing world. And like I so often do, I've spent many of these moments watching the horses. 

Watching them do one thing at a time, then take a nap or shake it off, then do the next thing. Watching them tell each other so clearly when they need space and when they're available for interaction. Watching them watch over each other, so everyone gets time to rest free from vigilance. Watching them enjoy the small moments. 

It's inspiring. And instructive. 

Herd observation is one of my favorite things. I find it restorative on a soul level and often clarifying when I'm overwhelmed. Time after time, the horses remind me that one of the most reliable ways to stay engaged without overwhelm, burnout, or shutdown is to put some space between things. Space around things.

• Space around experiences so I can integrate them, remember them, and be available for what’s next. 
• Space around my to-do list so I can rest and access my creativity. 
• Space around my feelings so I can respond instead of reacting. 
• Space around my thoughts so I can recognize what is helpful and true, remember I don’t have to believe everything I think, and tease apart my own voice from that of others. 
• Space around my body so I can connect with my own needs and wants more clearly.

Adding Space Between the Doing

Recently I’ve been exploring the ways we can add space in all its many forms into our lives, even (and especially) amidst the urgency culture, the 24-hour news cycle, and intense to-do lists that we may live with. The horses often show me what it means to dwell. To create space between the doing and settle into the sense of my own aliveness. I'm grateful to them for that, and to the mindfulness practices that have allowed me to transform these teachings into actionable habits in my daily life. 

It can seem hard, even impossible, to create space in our busy lives. But I was recently reminded that if something seems too hard, it just means the first step isn’t small enough. So, I’d like to invite you to start small, without any schedule overhauls or deep dives into your inner world. I’m doing it with you. We're just going to start by breathing a bit more space into the natural transitions of our day and pausing to take in the good. If you’re up for it, check out the practices below. Let’s see how it feels and see where it takes us. 

Micro-Practice 1: Breathing Space Into Transitions

There are so many transitions in our day. Often, we move through them so quickly that our mind and body are doing different things. As a way to slow ourselves down and bring a greater sense of space into our days, I invite you to experiment with breathing space into transitions. 

In this micro-practice, we use transitions as a prompt to cultivate a spirit of spaciousness. It doesn’t require any schedule re-arranging. The intention is to bookmark the doings of our days with pockets of space.

When you’re completing an activity or a task (such as brushing your teeth, sending an email, driving somewhere, or eating a meal), take a moment to pause and say to yourself “I’m finished brushing my teeth.” It’s probably going to feel silly at first! But it’s worth it.

Now take a slow breath or two. Then consider what you’re transitioning to. And say to yourself, "Now I’m about to walk the dog" (or wash the dishes, make a phone call, take off my shoes, etc.).

That’s it! And then do it again. The whole thing takes just moments, and you can repeat it as many times as you remember during the day. There are almost infinite opportunities to practice. 

Micro-Practice 2: Taking in the Good

Years ago, I learned from psychologist and author Rick Hanson about the easily available micro-practice of taking in the good. He shared how we can teach our own brains to notice more easily the positive and counter the negativity bias. It’s been an important part of my personal practice ever since. You can take in the good any time, but I find it to be a particularly powerful practice first thing in the morning, and right before sleep.

Notice (or remember) a moment that brings you joy, peace, a sense of gratitude or awe, or just a pleasant sensation. Close your eyes and play the moment again in your mind. Try to bring both the sensory and emotional experience of the moment back into your body.  Stay with the memory in your mind for about a minute. Longer if you want.

Imagine tucking the memory into a specific place in your mind. Like you’re downloading it with the intention of being able to find it in the future.

This is a practice that feels essential if we're to move through this complex world with an open heart and avoid burnout and collapse. We cannot stay engaged in the world if we can't see and feel the good. We can't work towards peace in our communities if we are so entangled with the negative that we lose connection with what we're working towards.