Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.
Consider what you want to make space for in your life in this 6-minute contemplation guided by Alex Elle.
- Find a quiet place, settle your body, and reflect on where you want more clarity or ease in your life.
- Breathe deeply, filling your belly on each inhale and softening your body on each exhale.
- Notice the fears, doubts, or stresses you’re carrying and gently commit to letting them go.
- Pick one phrase from the meditation that speaks to you most deeply (e.g., In the presence of chaos, I will make space for inner peace). Write it down on a sticky note and place it somewhere visible to keep the intention alive throughout your day.
- Close your practice by offering yourself grace, trusting that making space takes time and patience.
Today’s Happiness Break host:
ALEX ELLE is a breathwork coach, author and restorative writing teacher.
Learn more about Alex here:
Follow Alex on Instagram:
Follow Alex on TikTok:
Related Happiness Break episodes:
Who Takes Care of You:
Take a Break With Our Loving-Kindness Meditation:
A Meditation on Original Love:
Related Science of Happiness episodes:
How to Show Up For Yourself:
How Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress:
How To Show Up For Yourself:
We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of holding silence. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Find us on Apple Podcasts:
Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link:
Transcription:
DACHER KELTNER I’m Dacher Keltner. Welcome Happiness Break, a series by The Science of Happiness. Today we’re going to take a little break by making space for ourselves. This means giving ourselves the permission to let go of self judgment just for a few minutes and approach our needs with more compassion.
Research shows that when we practice self-compassion, we’re less likely to feel anxious and stressed and much more likely to feel happy and resilient. We know this kind of mindful slowing down can help regulate your heart rate, reduce inflammation that’s caused by stress, and improve sleep. Guiding us in today’s Making Space meditation is Alex Elle. Alex is a breathwork coach, restorative writing teacher and the author of the new book, How We Heal.
ALEX ELLE Hello everyone, I am so honored to be here with you. In today’s meditation, we are going to be exploring what it means to make space in our lives and get rooted in clarity. As we prepare for our time together, I’d like for you to think about: Where do you want more clarity in your life? What do you want to breathe into? What do you want to make space for? Let’s dive right in.
Making space for clarity, rest, and healing will require us to let go of thoughts, feelings, and things that weigh us down and keep us stuck. Not everything we’ve been holding onto can come with us. Letting go is uncomfortable, but keeping a tight grip on what needs to be released will harm more than it will help. Self-doubt will not serve us on this journey.
This making space meditation can be repeated daily as a reminder to give yourself permission to let go of fear and self-doubt before your day begins or after your day ends. I’d also like you to think about what line from this meditation resonates with you the most. Write it down, put it on a sticky note and keep it somewhere that you can see it. Filling up your belly on each inhale, dropping your shoulders and softening your body on each exhale.
In the presence of fear, I will make space for courage. In the presence of self-doubt, I will make space for self-belief. In the presence of feeling hurried, I will make space for slowing down. In the presence of overwhelm, I will make space for rest. In the presence of overthinking, I will make space for letting go. In the presence of chaos, I will make space for inner peace. In the presence of confusion, I will make space for clarity. In the presence of pain, I will make space for self-compassion.
Grounding down into this moment. I want you to bring your attention to the phrase that resonated with you the most. Think about all the ways you want or need to make space so that you can unfurl and bloom into the best version of yourself.
We live in a world that forces us to know what’s next. But in this moment, I’d like you to give yourself grace and patience as you sort through your emotional toolbox and move things around and release things that are no longer yours to carry. So that you can find a space in your life for what is truly meant to be yours.
Thank you so much for being with me today. My name is Alex Elle, until next time, take good care.
DACHER KELTNER Today’s meditation about making space is from Alex’s new book, How We Heal. We’re giving away copies of How We Heal to 10 lucky winners and their friends on our Instagram page, at greater good mag. Check out our page for details on how to enter. I’m Dacher Keltner, thanks for taking this Happiness Break with us. Happiness Break is produced by PRX and UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center.
