In a world obsessed with productivity and urgency, spaciousness is a quiet rebellion. It’s not absence. It’s not neglect. It’s not disconnection. Spaciousness is presence without pressure.

When we talk about space in the More Connected Humans™ framework, we’re naming three kinds: physical space, time space, and emotional space.

Each one asks us to pause the rush—and in doing so, make room for something deeper to arise.

“Aerate / Permeate.”

I was honored to partner with Nature Sacred, a beautiful nonprofit that brings healing through nature to high-stress organizations. In one of our collaborations, I supported the development of guidelines for charrettes—community-based planning meetings that are rooted in equity and inclusion. One of the guiding principles we shaped together was:

This idea is steeped in spaciousness.

To aerate is to breathe air into something compacted, so that it can hold life again.

To permeate is to allow something to sink in, to move slowly and deeply through the layers.

In facilitation, leadership, and relationship, this looks like:

• Not rushing people’s responses

• Letting stories unfold in their own rhythm, even if multiple touch points are required

• Listening without jumping to solutions or stories of our own

• Making room for silence as a part of the conversation—not a problem

Spaciousness honors the invisible labor many people are doing at any moment.

Here are just a few reasons why someone might need space, without explanation:

• They are processing new or complex information

• They are self-regulating after a moment of emotional charge

• They are finding the courage to speak a hard truth

• They are searching for the right words

• They are stabilizing their nervous system after a past wound is touched

• It is cultural—a gesture of respect, humility, or sacred pacing

• It is a practice of self-preservation, especially for people navigating oppressive systems

• They are trying to stay connected without abandoning themselves

In these moments, space is not distance.

It is devotion.

It is care.

We do not offer space by backing away—we offer it by staying with, but not pressing.

Holding, but not directing.

Trusting, not timing.

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Reflection Prompts for Spacious Leadership

(Use these to examine your own practices as a leader, facilitator, or colleague.)

1. How do I respond to silence? Do I see it as discomfort—or depth?

2. Do I give people time to reflect before responding in meetings or circles?

3. Can I stay present when someone’s pace is slower than mine?

4. How might I invite people to speak without demanding it?

5. What would it look like to trust that connection is happening, even in the quiet?

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Spaciousness isn’t passive—it’s intentional.

It’s what makes emotional truth possible.

It’s what allows pain to soften, wisdom to surface, and connection to deepen.

Let’s remember:

We don’t need to fill the room to show we care.

Sometimes, it’s in the breathing room that allows the best work to arrive.