Space is contentious, and a lack of it is political. Many want to enforce rules on who can and can’t access specific spaces while also prescribing how the granted space should be used. And it’s in these places where the distortion happens.
We often internalise this way of reasoning, and we apply similar limitations to ourselves.
See, we are all meant to have access to spaciousness. We are all meant to have the freedom that comes with it. Yet, there are many reasons why people can’t experience this freedom that are beyond their control.
By spaciousness, I mean the right to exist with self-assurance and with conviction about the worth we have to offer this world.
So, what if we created the space we need ourselves—the emotional and mental room to exist confidently, to assert our presence when we’ve been made to feel small?
I’m really grappling with this idea of creating spaciousness for myself. Some days, it feels just within arm’s reach, and other days, it’s an entirely foreign idea.
Part of this writing series is about taking up space, not for frivolous or selfish reasons, but because I deserve to pursue my own self-confidence. I want to allow my thoughts the space they need to breathe and become something new.
The most radical act isn’t demanding access to spaces designed to exclude us (even the ones we create) but rather creating our own spaciousness from within.
When we give ourselves permission to expand internally—to dream bigger, think deeper, feel more fully—we model what it looks like for others to do the same.
This is how we all learn to take up space beautifully: by showing that spaciousness isn’t a luxury rationed out but a birthright to be claimed, reimagined and co-created with others.
