You are allowed to create space to name the need.
…Here are a few words (of many) you could consider:
acceptance
appreciation
beauty
closeness
community
companionship
ease
flexibility
friendship
hope
inspiration
movement
space
structure
understanding…
Of course, having needs met is very important, but at times, it can be easy to forget an earlier step: naming them in the first place. This alone can be a powerful act. Consider friendship. If you were to say, “I need friendship right now” to someone, it’s the kind of thing that is sure to, at least, spark attention and awareness. It may not immediately lead to the dream friendship you need right now in the next five minutes, but naming it provides a language for your needs, helping you articulate and express what you are seeking. It could lead to deeper, more specific questions:
Do you need the kind of friendship that is supportive or adventurous? Consistent or spontaneous?
Specificity not only helps you identify what you may need but narrows your focus in such a way that you may begin to explore what necessary steps are required for it to become possible.
Allow yourself to get specific. For instance,
If you need “acceptance,” ask yourself — “what kind?”
If you need “ease,” ask yourself, “What might ease look like on Saturdays?”
If you need “space,” ask yourself, “Where? What kind of space has been helpful in the past?”
-May there be space for you to identify what you need and how it might help you move through the day. – Morgan Harper Nichols
