a change in space

First of all, have I mentioned how undeniably humbled and grateful and excited I am that you have decided to join me in living boldly?!  This experience has been so incredible so far -- inspiring, challenging, thought-provoking and, above all, connecting.  It's been so beautiful hearing your stories, reconnecting with old friends and family, and learning about what inspires, touches and challenges YOU.  I want to know more!  So please email, message, comment, tweet (@kkatie_kins)!

A little backstory about me -- in college, I graduated with a degree in psychology, and, I'll be totally honest, I am a complete nerd when it comes to the fascinating world of human interaction.  Anyhow, one of the phenomenon that you learn about in psych classes is that of place-based learning (I am sure there are other, more eloquent names for it).  Essentially, researchers have found that there is a distinct connection between location and memory.  For example, say you learned all about the fascinating world of biology in room Reiss 103?  Your memory of those lectures are integrally linked with that space, and you will test better at the end of the semester if your final is held in Reiss 103.

Like that phenomenon (stay with me now), I am slowly discovering how a change in location or habit can create the necessary shift for deeper growth, new inspiration and renewed energy.  It's almost as if sometimes, when sticking to the status quo of our lives, we trap ourselves, allowing our energy to become stagnant, hanging out in the rut that we have created for ourselves.  There is no more room to grow, no inspiration to try something new or different.  The contentment we have found (which, by the way, is a beautiful gift!) morphs slowly into monotony.  But life is not limited to Reiss 103.  Just as in a college course the semester ends and you travel to a new room with a new professor for new knowledge, there are times in our lives when, to continue our self-growth, to know ourselves and our world deeper, we are called to move.

I don't mean move in the sense of a move to a new city or country (though sometimes, that's what it takes) -- what I mean is to get moving, to change something small, to knock your oh-so-regulated universe a little out of whack for the sake of self-growth.  Change your workout routine.  Stop at a different coffee shop on the way to work.  Take a class you've always wanted to take.  Take a vacation (you remember what those are, right?).  Try being a morning person.  Changing our habits, our location, has a way of changing our perspective, allowing those moments of inspiration to trickle in.  While this needed change was indeed an inspiration for my move out of Seattle, I have found that every little change in location, surrounding or habit has a way of changing my outlook and energy.

But change is scary, it takes risk and a trip into the unknown.  It is guaranteed to shake things up, to shake YOU up.  But that's where it gets beautiful.  I recently read a reflection on the idea of "fitting out" -- rather than fitting in.  Sometimes its our fear of what others might think -- or, for me, the eternal "should-girl" self-judgment -- that holds us back from making a change, denying ourselves the opportunity to recharge our lives and discover something new (even if it's the ugly, mucky stuff that comes with self-growth).

My life right now is full of the big changes... new town, new job (hopefully), new not-so-long-distance relationship norms, new place to call home.  And, while those things are certainly shaking things up in my life (just ask my sweetheart -- I've shed so many tears, they could fill a lake), they are also revealing such incredible new avenues!  Passions that I'm just now giving myself space to explore, room to transform my habits and health, and mindful moments to discover self.  Not to mention the excuse to go a little crazy, be a little emotional and experience the free-fall feel of the who-the-heck-knows-what's-coming-next.

What about you?!  Where are you creating the space to grow, change, discover?

There have been moments in my life when to look in the face of change is just overwhelming, when the strain and stressors of life have taken it out of you to the point that one more change is too exhausting to bear.  Be mindful, give yourself the gift of rest.  Discover yourself in that gift.

But, if it hasn't been a while since someone kicked your backside into gear, how are you going to move?  Make it small, make it doable and forget the excuses!  I'd love to hear from you, learn from you, gain some inspiration and wisdom from you!  Maybe in joining together, we can be courageous and live boldly together.

(**For the record, I needed to get out of my inspiration rut today, and this post is being written from a new, previously unexplored coffee shop in downtown Flagstaff... which makes some killer soy chai lattes, in case you were curious.**)