BOOK REVIEW - Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World
by Fran Hauser
Guest Editor
Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World by Eve Rodsky
In Find Your Unicorn Space, Eve Rodsky makes a compelling case for creativity and the important role that it plays in who we are and how we show up in the world.
So, what exactly is unicorn space? Eve penned the term to describe time spent actively and openly pursuing self-expression in any form. Importantly, this requires a curiosity based on your own values, as well as the purposeful sharing of this pursuit with the world. Your unicorn space is the activity that makes you lose track of time, and one that you crave when you're away from it.
Research shows time and time again that when our lives become overloaded with work, our individual health can be compromised. At that point, rest and creativity become essential to restoring healthy balance in life. Nurturing your unicorn space protects this healthy balance from the get-go, ensuring that you don't lose what makes you uniquely YOU, even during the hardest times.
Eve notes that once people are introduced to this idea, they quickly appreciate why it is essential to carve out space in their lives for creative self-expression. Despite understanding that creativity is a key component to a happy and meaningful life, women are culturally conditioned to put others first. This leads to struggles not only with figuring out what their unicorn space is, but with how to make time for it at all.
The book contains fun exercises that help readers find their unicorn space, along with the sage wisdom that there are endless ways to define creativity. Eve shares a story about a woman who discovered her interest in Hindu astrology, and that curiosity and passion became her unicorn space. If you're like me, it might be spreading the love of reading.
The book also offers tactical techniques for creating the time and space to fit in creativity. I love that in doing this, Eve gives us permission to be unavailable. Technology makes our time and energy more accessible than ever, but that doesn't mean we always need to be "on."
The guiding mantra of Find Your Unicorn Space is, "Creativity is not optional." It’s a critical part of leading a fulfilled life, not a nice-to-have. Personally, I find that when I make the time for creativity, I feel more connected with myself. It’s also a pretty great feeling to put something out into the world that can inspire, educate, or simply put a smile on someone’s face. Every woman deserves the gift of this book, because now more than ever, we are worthy of holding more joy in our lives.
Fran Hauser is a bestselling author, startup investor and champion of women. For more of her book recommendations, follow @fransbookshelf on Instagram.
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