One of Jeffrey Rubin’s suggestions for flourishing is creating more inner space. He calls it “the capacity we all have to sit with and reflect on thoughts and feelings at our own pace.” You can access inner space anywhere by doing a variety of things. Meditation, yoga, reading, music writing and being in nature are some of the ways he identifies. Anything that cultivates “clarity and equanimity” expands inner space.
The task for you is to consider what helps you think more clearly and what enables you to create more acceptance in your life. These are the things that help create more inner space.
In Poser, My Life in23 Yoga Poses, Claire Dederer says, about one type of yoga:
It’s a quality of inwardness, of contemplation…Try to feel from within, rather than judging and looking at what’s on the outside.
This sounds a lot like creating inner space. Poser is also a great read.
I’m unable to locate any scholarly work addressing inner space. That’s my euphemistic way of saying I don’t know if there’s any research to support this. But it sounds a lot like, but not quite the same as, cultivating mindfulness, which does have a great deal of research support.
My suggestion: think about how much time (or how little time) you spend in quiet reflection. Ask yourself if you’d like to take steps to increase that time. If that’s a yes, identify a couple of things you can do to expand your inner space.
My other suggestion: Time, Pink Floyd.
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