It’s okay to ask for more

I continue to naturally lead with the positive, to choose joy, to see the best in situations, circumstances, and people. And recently, I was reminded by the universe that it is okay to take up more space. To want the more that I know is coming, sooner. It’s really not always so great to be stoic, and I don’t always realize that’s what I’m doing.

In my case, my patient excitement for an eventual home laundry room crashed up against my first experience of actually feeling unsafe at the laundromat. Ya know, I’m very grateful for not having to wash clothes by beating them on a rock at the water’s edge. And I know that our house build is going in the right direction. But dammit, this was really, really hard today.

It may not be laundry for you, and that certainly isn’t the only thing going on for me. Where are you looking at something through rose-colored glasses?

Oh.

It’s okay to be happy where I am, while at the same time desiring more. That doesn’t make me ungrateful. It doesn’t negate my appreciation. And it certainly doesn’t make me jinx the good things I’ve got going on in my life.

I didn’t think I was wearing rose-colored glasses. (And quite frankly, it has bothered me when crabby others blame me for my natural optimism with this phrase.) But when I see more clearly, I can see the actual roses AND the thorns. Holy wow. The roses look so much more beautiful, in their fullness. Also, I don’t get pricked by what I didn’t see — I pre-emptively work around and with those darn thorns.

So I will continue to gratefully go to the laundromat (and I will be prepared to again walk away in the moment if needed). And I will continue to optimistically view our house build project. AND, I will speak out loud how ready I am to be done with our temporary situation — not just about my excitement for what is coming. I can do this with an authentic smile on my face and joy in my heart.

Where might you claim more space in your own life?