As I pondered what to write about this week, the topic of expansion and contraction came to me. We talked about abundance and lack mentality a few weeks ago, which is one example of how expansion or contraction shows up in our lives.

 

I did some research on the subject, looking for a metaphor we can all relate to. Since I'm pretty sure each of you are breathing, I thought that would be a good one. 

 

When we take a deep inhale, we increase our oxygen intake and expand our chest cavity anywhere from two to five inches. With regular deep-breathing exercises, we can strengthen our pulmonary muscles and increase this number. When we breathe deeply, we send out much-needed oxygen to all the tiny blood vessels at the bottom of our lungs that will carry it to waiting cells.

 

I measured myself and am currently able to take a deep breath and expand my chest cavity by about two inches. Hmm, I guess I have a lot of room to grow regarding expansion capacity. What about you? Grab a measuring tape and find out. 

 

Another way to feel the difference between expansion and contraction physically is through posture. When we are slumped over, with our shoulders caving in, it feels like gravity is pulling us to the floor. When we sit up tall, shoulders back, head high, it feels like gravity is lifting us up and out. 

 

Our spirits will mirror whichever physical posture we choose to carry. Try it right now. Let everything sink in and down and see how that feels. Now lift everything straight and tall for comparison. Which feels better? (duh!)

 

Try it again, but this time, try laughing really loud in both postures. I find it's harder to laugh big when I'm bent over and constricted.

 

We just proved we can physically use our bodies to open wider and take up more space. We can intentionally do the same thing, spiritually and emotionally.

 

For instance, if our emotions are stuck in contraction (fear, lack, anxiety), we can use our bodies to help re-boot us into a posture of expansion. We start by assuming a better physical posture, and taking several deep breaths. We'll notice a change quickly. Using that momentum, we ask ourselves what's the next small step we can take to transition further away from what we don't want and more into what we do.

 

Life works better when we're postured for expansion!

How open are you today to admitting you don't know everything, and you've not yet hit the ceiling of your growth limits regarding things like:

Expansion is a posture of being open and willing to receive. Expansion says, I'm willing to receive more, even if I don't know what the "more" might be.

 

What if we could measure our current capacity for spiritual and emotional expansion? How would you measure up? No matter where we are now, we can always expand a little more. As with deep-breathing, we can intentionally do exercises to work the "muscles" involved with spiritual and emotional expansion so that our ability to receive can increase.

 

When intentions change, attention follows and transition begins to happen.

 

I am ready to expand when I am humble and teachable. As I give gratitude for everything the way it is now, I open myself up to receive even more. When I give what I have to others (money, time or talent), I perpetuate the flow of goodness, which circles back to include me. 

 

I read recently about a question to ask ourselves, Are we a lake or a river? A lake is stagnant. The water might be pretty, but it's going nowhere. A river is alive and steadily flowing out to nourish others, while constantly being renewed and re-filled. Ooh, I want to be a river!

 

Perhaps we all need to write, "Lake or River?" on a piece of paper, so we can take a self-inventory often. When needed, we can change our posture to better reflect how we want to approach the day, and this very moment. Here's to your expansion and continuous flow today!

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