MEANINGFUL AND MINDFUL WORDS
As part of my exploration of my Word of the Year "Mindful" I've come across a few terms recently that have resonated with me. They're words that have depth and meaning to them, and they carry a little "something" that I'd like to incorporate into my own life. I chose five to explore further over March - which has been my month of meaningful, mindful reflection.
The final one of these words that caught my eye is Yutori....
YUTORI
So what is Yutori? Ikigaitribe describes it as a Japanese word that translates:
Yutori translates to ‘space; elbow-room; leeway; room; reserve; margin; allowance; latitude; time (to spare). Yutori means having sufficiency and ease—a sense of comfort, time, and financial or mental space. It’s a broad Japanese concept linked to everyday life and well-being, often seen as a positive and relaxed state of mind.
KEY ASPECTS OF YUTORI
- Application: Creating intentional gaps in your schedule - having a Do-Nothing Day, or spacing out your commitments to allow time for quiet in your day.
- Mental State: Fostering a state of mind free from urgency, allowing for mindfulness and reflection.
- Less Rushing: Allowing a few minutes of extra time to avoid running late and feeling pressured (it reduces road rage too!)
- Daily Routine: Taking time away from your phone - try a digital-free morning each week, take a walk without your phone, practice some bloom-scrolling.
- Financial Planning: Maintaining your spending/saving in a way that helps you to feel financially secure without depriving yourself by living in scarcity.
- Environment: Appreciating the empty space (white space) in a room - keeping the clutter under control so there's room to move and for your mind to be quiet.
YUTORI IN RETIREMENT
I think one of the biggest blessings in my life has been the extra time and space that retirement has brought to me. I love having that "space, elbow-room, leeway, and margin" to think things through, to breathe, and to have the time I need to finally focus on what I'd like to do in life.
I feel less rushed, less pressured, and there's a lot less juggling of commitments these days. There's lots of small things to keep me occupied, but there's more physical and mental breathing room now. I have more time to walk, time for my family, time for friends, and time for myself. I feel like I'm practicing yutori every day.
YUTORI - LETTING GO
Karen, a lovely Substacker I follow, had these great tips for letting go to allow some space in your heart and mind. I thought they tied in really well with the idea of Yutori.
- letting go of self criticism and embracing self love/compassion/acceptance.
- letting go of what other people think and doing what’s right for me (this covers so many things!)
- letting go of the belief that I’m responsible for everyone and holding on (lightly) to the love of family and friends…and feeling very grateful for it.
- letting go of the need to be who I was and being happy with who I am now i.e. not identifying myself in any particular role….just being me.
- letting go of control, busyness, rigidity and opening up to the flow of life.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Well, that's the end of my Mindful Words for March, and I hope something resonated with you if you followed along with me. What did you think of Yutori? Is Midlife allowing you some space in your life for what really matters?
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