I watch a lot of HGTV and I’m always amazed at the result the designers achieve. I have some friends currently building homes and it’s not uncommon to discuss space planning because they are all artists and are designing their ideal studios. We consider space planning when it comes to our physical homes, our dwellings, but don’t consider space planning in any other realm of our lives.
What if we worked on space planning in our minds? How would our lives change if we thought about how we use the space in our minds? What would it take for you to consider space planning for your emotional and spiritual life?
Let’s face it being diagnosed with a chronic or life-threatening illness is a big thing; it takes up a lot of space. The most obvious place it takes space is in your body. You and your medical teamwork together striving to reduce the amount of physical space your illness takes in your body. Along with various treatments and medication, good food and rest are vitally important to reducing the amount of space your illness takes up in your body.
The other aspect to this is the amount of space a diagnosis of an illness takes up in your mind. It is like “The Blob”, expanding into all the nooks and crannies of your mind zapping your energy that you need for health and healing. When you ruminate about your illness the amount of space it takes up is enormous. What can you do to contain the expansion of negative energy?
Support groups are a great way to contain the negative emotional aspects of a health challenge. It allows you to dump the negative energy and get support when you need it most. The group atmosphere is affirming and lets you know that you’re not the only person in the world having these experiences. The problem is that not everyone lives in a geographic location where there is a support group for your particular diagnosis. The Internet has given us the opportunity to connect with people around the world at any time day or night, creating relationships and partnerships for mutual support.
When it comes to your spiritual life, expansion is the name of the game. Finding a spiritual director or coach to help you create a space plan in your soul can be a game changer. Having someone who travels with you on this pilgrimage can provide you with soul reinforcement allowing you to continue this arduous journey. This partnership is about comfort as well as expanding the positive aspects of belief in an energy force greater than you.
Space planning is not just for your physical environment, but your inner habitat as well. It can provide you with comfort when you feel as if your diagnosis is taking over your entire life and you feel as if no one understands. Containment of the emotional and spiritual intrusions can promote health and lead you to getting better or getting well!
Pilgrim Pathway/Surviving Strong 