Welcome to the Elevated Edit Podcast.

I'm your host, Blakely Ramsey, and the goal of this podcast is to discuss all things personal development, wellness, and the art of editing your life in an elevated way.

From mastering morning routines to mastering your mindset, we're going to sift through the noise and empower you to take elevated action.

Make sure you catch the show notes for all the details.

Enjoy the show.

You have probably heard the phrase slow down to speed up, but today I want to show you exactly why that's true.

This episode is all about white space.

The intentional rest, stillness, and space between the inputs.

If you've been in a season of heavy learning, deep growth, or content overload, this is your reminder.

Clarity doesn't come from doing more.

It comes from letting your mind take a breath.

You don't need another book, you don't need another post.

You just need integration, and that only happens when you pause.

So I am currently in a season where I am learning heavily.

I am very involved in the coaching programs that I have signed up for.

I am reading books that are really challenging for me.

I'm listening to podcasts that are very challenging for me.

I feel like I am just kind of in a very driven season.

I don't know, something about the sun coming out, it has gotten me fired up when it comes to learning and work and really trying to fine tune everything in my life, specifically my business that I'm trying to grow.

But I had a realization this week.

I was literally like, I have got to be very careful about my input next week.

So in terms of listening to books and listening to podcasts and reading books and, like, taking information in, I am almost.

I'm like, I'm almost at an overload with it, and I need to give myself more space to actually do and actually create output.

So not just creating content, but journaling, having conversations.

I'm just giving my mind time to wonder and kind of, like, put all the pieces together.

And I realized that on the way to my walk this morning, I was like, you know what?

I haven't done a silent walk all week.

And I did a silent walk this morning.

And I am not joking you, I had some of the best ideas that I've had all week.

And it's because I didn't have music in my ear or I wasn't listening to, you know, the long list of podcasts that I listened to, the long list of audiobooks.

And I definitely think there's a time and a space for those.

Like, I would not be where I'm at if I didn't have access to podcasts and access to the minds of other people and behind the the scenes and all the things like I do think that's so important, but I also think that taking time to be very intentional and very strategic about planning for specific times for you to like not have any input and just let your mind wander and create, I think it's so important.

And look, white space can look differently for all of this.

For me, it does look like a walk without listening to anything.

That is really the only time that my body feels super comfortable, like fully just unwinding and letting go.

But for some people, this could be a blank page in a planner.

This could look like an unstructured morning, a tech free evening.

I think it's important to figure out what works best for you.

But I just think keeping in mind that white space, especially intentional white space, being very strategic with it is so important because in those pauses and in those moments where you're not just so focused and so like just thinking so hard, where you're just kind of letting your thoughts run wild.

For me, that is when I come up with my best ideas and you might know what I'm talking about when you're in the car or when you're doing laundry or when you're in the shower, I come up with a lot of good ideas in the shower.

It's like I'm just like not really thinking about anything and I'm not really thinking about what I'm doing.

I'm just kind of like doing the actions because it's something that I do every single day.

And when I'm in those moments, that is when the ideas really come to me.

And this is so important.

In our day and age, with the rise of technology and how quickly technology is moving and how much information we have access to, it is so important for us to remember this because I am someone who, I am extremely appreciative.

I try to never forget that, you know, not that long ago, people, especially women, we didn't have access to the amount of information that we do today.

We, we couldn't just, you know, listen to a podcast or listen to an audiobook and hear this, you know, high level information or you know, study something so specific.

And I always try to take advantage of that.

But I do think that with the amount of information that is out there, it can almost become like an addiction to constantly be learning and constantly be taking things in and then never actually giving your brain time to process.

I know this is something that I have to be really careful about, especially when it comes to books, because I will get competitive almost with myself and I'll be like, okay, I read five books this month, but when I slow down and read maybe like a book a month, and I actually read the book and I take notes on it and I read like a couple pages a day and I journal and I take notes and I go back and I highlight and I reread and I actually slow down and process the book instead of just flying through it just to check another book off of my list.

I do find that I get so much more information out of that book than the books that I just try to fly through just to check something off of my list.

And so I do think it's important for us to just be aware that, you know, being productive and learning and taking in information, There is a point of diminishing returns where we are just stuffing our brain full of things.

And what we actually need to do is like take a pause and slow down and let our mind process what we've already taken in and actually integrate that and come up with the ideas and let the things flow before we put something new in.

And that is actually this week that is something I'm going to try really hard to do is to cut back on reading.

I know that sounds awful, but like cut back on reading a little bit and focus more on doing and creating and writing and getting in conversations and creating more and just using the information that's already in my brain instead of constantly overloading it.

And while I was researching this episode, I found something called the Default Mode Network.

Now I'm going to let you do your own research on this.

I was going to dabble in it a little bit, but this is super, like super research backed.

And so I would do your own research and let the professionals tell you about this one because this one is definitely above my pay grade.

But essentially what happens is when you rest or when you give yourself that white space, that time to just kind of breathe and think, there are certain parts of your brain that light up when you are resting and when you are in that flow state.

This is responsible for reflection.

So this is the time when you can actually look back and get lessons from things that you've already learned, or lessons from conversations or lessons from things that happened.

I know for me, especially when I am in like a high energy, maybe networking event or I'm in a big group of people and I'm talking to a lot of different people, it'll sometimes take me a couple of days to register what somebody said.

Or like, I'll be in a moment.

I'm like, oh man, that thing they said was so cool.

Or like, something somebody said actually clicked for me.

But when I'm in the moment, I'm just so busy, or like, I'm overstimulated and I don't actually process the information.

And so if you've ever, ever gotten a text from me multiple days later and I'm like, hey, that was so cool what you said.

Or like, oh, thanks for bringing that up.

It just.

It takes me a little while to process things because I have to be like in a flow state almost to really understand and really process everything.

And when you are in that rest mode, like I said, it lights up those portions of your brain that are responsible for reflection.

They're also responsible for idea formation.

And so this is something that I think is hard, especially if you are in a job that requires creativity.

So I have experienced this in marketing.

You know, I have done marketing for other companies.

And if you are not in marketing, you might not understand the process.

But when someone comes to you and they go, okay, here is the product, come up with an idea.

Right now it's like, well, hold on one second.

Like, I am going to have to like, give me all the information, give me, you know, the audience demographics and give me the product knowledge.

And then I have to, like, let it marinate for a little bit.

I have to go into this rest mode in order for the ideas to flow.

Now this part of your brain that fires up is also responsible for your problem solving.

And I have definitely experienced this before too, where I will have like such a, like a big problem and I'll just be staring at my computer and I'm like, how am I ever going to figure this out?

This is the hardest problem in the whole world to solve.

This is so difficult.

And if I take a break or like walk away and I come back, usually the problem has resolved itself.

This is like, it feels so easy.

But it just took me stepping back and like, not being so micromanaging and not trying to control everything.

And it took that from my brain to be like, okay, we can problem solve when we're not.

Like, we don't have such a chokehold on the situation.

I don't have to be like always on or like always trying to figure it out.

Like sometimes letting my brain just work kind of in the subconscious in the background for a minute instead of me just consciously trying to figure out the problem that can actually Be when you have those breakthrough moments, those aha moments, or those, like, that sudden clarity, you know, I'm sure you've had those moments where you're like, where did that idea come from?

Like, that idea just came out of nowhere.

It was almost this, like, intuitive knowing.

Those ideas can't come to you in noise.

So those ideas likely aren't going to come to you when you are listening to a podcast or listening to an audiobook or in the middle of conversation.

They actually come to you in those pauses in the middle.

So that's why you have great ideas in the shower.

That's why you might have great ideas, you know, in the car if you're not listening to anything or on a walk or, you know, just random times.

Like, I'll even be in the grocery store and I'm like, oh, man, that's such a good idea.

I'm like, what about the grocery store makes me have really good ideas.

And it's because I'm not thinking about work.

I'm not thinking about the problem.

I'm not thinking about the project.

I'm like, what kind of cheese do we need?

What kind of chips do we want?

Do we need more paper towels?

You know, I'm.

I'm very just kind of like in like a hazy, lazy mind mode.

And my brain actually has time to rest.

It is not feeling, like, pressure.

It's not feeling forced to perform, and it can actually do its job.

Now.

I have had some crazy moments here lately in terms of this, where I will be in my email, going back and forth with someone we're trying to problem solve.

You know, in a couple of years ago, things like this would have stressed me out.

I would have been on the phone, like, trying to call a million people, trying to be like, you know, Ms.

Hero and Fix everything.

And I would have probably, like, worked myself into a frenzy.

Been so stressed out, been so worked up about whatever it was versus now I am like.

And it takes a minute for me to be aware of the fact that I need to step away.

But I'll get to a point where I'm like, okay, Blakely, you are not helping the situation at all right now.

Like, you are just getting more and more anxious.

I will take a break.

I will go outside for a minute.

I will do whatever I need to do.

Like, if I need to go, you know, sit in the car for a couple minutes in silent.

If I need to go take a walk around the block, whatever it is.

And when I come back, the problem has somehow resolved itself.

I either came up with the idea or when I stepped back and I wasn't so, like, involved in the situation.

I can't tell you how many emails I've gotten in the last year, especially the last six months where I've been.

There's been something I've been so stressed out about, and when I get back to my computer, it's like, oh, never mind, we figured it out.

Or nevermind, problem solved.

I'm like, man, you know, a couple years ago, I would have, I.

I was the problem.

I would have had such a strong hold on this situation and I would have TR so hard to control it, and I would have tried so hard to, like, figure out the exact right next step that I would have made everything harder versus if I just took a step back and, like, walked away for a minute, the idea either came to me or when I removed myself from the situation.

Like, other people had the chance to step up and other people had the chance to show off their problem solving skills.

And so if you are, you know, very ambitious and you are multi, passionate, this might not be something that is, like, comes easily to you.

And if so, I can relate.

Like, I get it.

I know that all of this is easier said than done, but it, to me, it's so important, especially if you are a high performer and you do love learning and you're constantly trying to grow and you're constantly trying to improve.

Like, I hear you.

I'm in the same boat as you are.

But it is so important for our brains to just have that time to process what we're learning, put all the dots together, figure out the little tiny intricacies, and give us those big ideas that are gonna, you know, change our lives or change someone else's lives or make our lives easier or make us a million dollars, whatever it is.

Now, y'all know I love to give actionable, tangible steps.

That is my one goal with this podcast is I always want for you to be able to listen to an episode and walk away with at least one thing that you're like, you know what?

I think I can do that.

I don't know about you, but sometimes in the productivity space, I feel like I'll listen to a podcast or I'll read a book, and I'm like, man, that was so good.

Like, that information was amazing, but that's too overwhelming for me to actually apply to my life.

And so I always try to keep everything tangible, simple, actionable, because that is what works best for me.

And hopefully it works for you as and hopefully it works for you as well.

Okay, so here are some ways that you can build white space into your life.

If you are a high performer or a busy mom, or you just got a lot on your plate, we still need to create that white space.

Okay, number one, a no input walk.

This is my favorite way.

It works really well for me.

You do not have to walk for an hour, you don't have to walk three miles.

You don't have to like set these big goals for yourself.

Go for a 15 minute walk.

No music, no headphones, no nothing.

Just give yourself a little bit of space to move.

Let your brain wonder, let your mind kind of just solve through things and let the ideas come to you.

A one hour, no screens block.

This one is really important, especially with Tick Tock, I think, because at least my Instagram algorithm, so Facebook makes me angry.

Instagram just makes me like, oh, this is pretty, this is fun.

Like, I like this app.

Tick Tock makes me feel like I am learning something.

But unlike with YouTube where I'm like, okay, I'm sitting down and concentrating on one thing for 15 minutes, for 20 minutes, for 30 minutes.

With TikTok, I feel like we are being overloaded with information that is coming to us very quickly.

So, you know, in 45 seconds you can learn a ton of information about something you knew nothing about before you got on TikTok.

And if you're scrolling for an hour, that can be learning a lot in one hour, which is really cool if you think about it.

But then if you don't ever give yourself time to process what you're learning or process what you have coming in, it just gets into a jumble and then it almost makes things worse than before.

You might as well just be consuming cat videos instead of actually implementing what you're learning.

For me, having dedicated time where I have no screens, so no tv, no phone, no computer, it's very difficult for me the first couple of minutes because I'm like, oh, but I could be checking my email or I could be doing this or I could be doing that.

And then when it's almost like when times almost up, I'm like, man, I could do this all day.

Like, this is great.

My brain feels clear, I feel awake, I feel alive.

This is wonderful.

Like, why don't I do this all day?

A solo drive with no music.

This one I feel like is one to really easily integrate.

Like maybe you could say, okay, every day on my way to the office, I'm going to have no music or my way home from the office, or like when I'm on the way to carpool or whatever it is just having that little bit of time where your mind is focused on something else.

So your mind is focused on the road.

Your mind is focused on like, okay, I am at point A, I need to get to point B.

I need to stop at this stop sign.

I need to look at the red light, I need to use my turn signal.

Like, your brain is focused on something else, but you're not having to like deeply think.

And that's when your mind can kind of go, okay, we're taking a rest for a second.

We're just kind of going through the motions.

Like, now the ideas can come to me.

Now I can put the dots together.

Now I can process what I've actually learned.

Or this can look like a weekend morning with nothing on your schedule.

I know this is not always possible.

Trust me.

I feel like my weekends here lately have been way busier than my weekdays.

But this might mean waking up 30 minutes earlier or, you know, telling yourself, okay, on Saturday morning, I'm going to go to this coffee shop for 20 minutes.

Whatever it is, like, just set some dedicated time as like an anchor in your week so that you know at some point you are going to sit down and process everything that you're learning, process everything that you're experiencing.

I think as women, especially moms, there is like a layer of guilt where you do feel like you could be giving more to your people or more to your job or more to this or more to that.

But from my perspective, and this is what I'm really trying to learn as someone who is almost addicted to work and showing up in the best way possible for like the people who are depending on me, I can be a better version of myself if I give myself at least a little bit of time every week to process everything.

So I show up as a better coach, I show up as a better podcaster, I show up better on social media, I show up better as a business owner.

Like, I'm more clear.

I'm like way more level headed.

If I give myself a little bit of time each week to just process.

This does not have to be something you do every day.

This does not have to be this long, drawn out thing.

Maybe just start with like 15 minutes a week where you schedule it in and you go, you know what?

This 15 minutes, I am just sitting in silence and I'm going to let my thoughts come because you might have an idea or you might solve a problem that makes the Whole entire rest of your week easier.

I'll be super transparent.

This morning on my walk, I walked with no headphones.

This is the first time I've done it in like a week and a half.

I had the most groundbreaking idea I have had in a really long time.

It's something that's going to benefit you.

It's not something you're gonna have to pay for.

I'm not selling anything.

I just had the most riveting idea of some content that I'm going to create.

And it is going to provide value, yes.

But it's also going to be entertaining in the best stinking way possible.

And I'll also brainstorm something for my local ladies.

So if you are local to the El Dorado, Arkansas area, I have something so good coming your way.

Oh, it's going to be so good.

But I couldn't come up with those ideas.

I had the seeds planted, but I couldn't come up with the ideas until I stepped out of my office, stepped out of work mode, put my laptop down, put my phone down, put my iPad down, walked away, didn't listen to any music.

My mind wasn't racing.

I was just letting things flow.

And that was when I could really come up with my best ideas.

Now, one thing I do want to put a disclaimer on, I think before you attempt to do this, and you might be in the back of your mind thinking, blakely, I hear what you're saying.

But when I let my thoughts wander, they go.

It's, like, not good.

Like, it's.

It goes to kind of like a dark place or I get really anxious or I get nervous.

I hear you.

When I first started doing this, things got worse before they got better.

So when I first started giving myself white space and time to think and time to process, it was so overwhelming for me because I didn't realize that I had kept things pushed down.

And that was one of the reasons why I stayed so busy, was because I didn't want to think about those things.

So if that is something that you are worried about or you have experience, I would highly recommend, like, getting a therapist.

I had to work through some things with my therapist.

I found one that was phenomenal.

She was understanding, but she also wasn't soft with me, which was what I needed in a therapist.

Like, I needed someone who was going to be very blunt with me, and she was.

And so it has taken me a while to get to this point where white space is no longer scary.

So if you are experiencing that, you're not alone.

It's totally fine.

Like, if you're, like, Blakely.

When I slow down, I just get more stressed out.

Like, when I let my mind wander, it goes to, like, nervousness, and I'm anxious and the world is ending and the sky is falling.

Boo.

I get it.

But, like, find a therapist or, you know, find some kind of outlet to work through all of that so that you can enjoy the beauty that is white space.

Because I do think that, especially as women, we have such a, like, innate energy inside of us that we can come up with ideas and we can problem solve in ways that I don't think men can.

Like, I'm just.

I'm judging all men based off of my husband, but he is one of the best people that I know.

But, like, he doesn't have, like, a.

Like this.

I don't know.

I don't know how to describe what women have.

We just have this.

I don't know.

I really, truly think that women are so powerful in, like, a quiet way, and it's something that we can't put into words.

And that's why I think it doesn't get as much attention as it deserves necessarily, but also don't think it needs a lot of attention.

Like, I love, as a woman having, like, a quiet power.

And I don't know what the word is for it, but for me personally, what I've experienced over the last couple of months is when I am in that quiet space, that, like, quiet power comes to me, and that's when I come up with those, like, groundbreaking ideas, and I don't have to, like, go announce it to anybody or, like, show it to the whole world.

I can just, like, do the work, and then, like, the work speaks for itself.

And I don't know if men necessarily have that.

That just.

I don't know.

It's just like a seasoning almost.

Like we've got something special.

We really do.

But for me, white space has helped improve my anxiety because it gives me time to untangle my thoughts, and it gives me time to problem solve and be more creative.

I feel like I'm more in alignment with my life and where I want to go, and I've got a very clear focus on what I want my life to look like.

Moving forward, my to do list has gotten smaller because I can actually see what matters versus when I am just, like, in a rush and chaotic.

I just say yes to everything that comes in, and then that's when I constantly feel depleted and drained.

And, like, I just.

I can't anymore.

But when I give myself white space, I'm like, you know what?

I actually need to say no to a lot of this, and I need to take a lot of this off my plate.

And I can actually be present with that when I have that white space and when I have that quiet time.

And then your subconscious mind will start delivering answers to you that you didn't even know that you had.

So you probably don't need more information.

You probably just need more time to process what you already know, which I think is so stinking cool.

Like, you already have the answers inside of you.

You just need to actually integrate them.

So give yourself permission to not try so hard today.

Like, maybe.

I know it's hard at first, but like, maybe, like, let, let, like let loose of your control just a little tiny bit.

That clarity that you're craving might not be found in, like, another podcast or, you know, in another book or another show or whatever it is.

Like, the answer is probably already inside of you.

You just need to slow down long enough to hear it.

That's so cool.

Okay, I hope you got some value out of this episode.

I just got done with my walk, like I said, so I am in a very Zen place.

I hope you weren't coming for super high energy today because that is not what I delivered.

But I hope that you got some value out of it and I hope you have an amaz amazing rest of your day.

And with that, I'll see you in the next episode.

Thank you for tuning in to the elevated Edit podcast.

I hope you found today's episode inspiring and full of actionable tips.

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Inspiration until next time, keep growing, glowing and elevating your life.

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