When you’re feeling small, you may feel a desire to retreat or withdraw, as if the world outside is too loud, too big, too hard to connect with what you need right now. It becomes easier to hide and to confine your gaze to a small, soft space, rather than fight and stretch yourself to compete with forces louder and taller than yours. But what if, by inviting the experience of feeling small back into you life, slowly and tenderly – you’d be able to feel less anxious and more safe, less overlooked and more appreciated, less cynical and more compassionate, less critical and more caring and cared for?

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, any new incoming message from the outside worlds feels like a barrage to an already fragile inner world. Your mind may be racing with various ongoing items to tackle on your to-do list, as you try to manage them all like a whack-a-mole of seemingly critical importance. Your body may feel tense, your jaw may feel sore, and your mood may feel irritable or raw, as you try to plough on through the day.

When you’re feeling exhausted, you feel as if you’re pressed down by an invisible heaviness that no amount of sleep can take away. You’ve tried to push through, to motivate yourself, to sign up for new things, even if a part of you silently screamed ‘no’ in the background. You’ve tried running, yoga, painting, breathing, music, meditation – but after feelings of peace and happiness, the dull slowness returns. Do not judge your exhaustion, the way or speed at which this is unfolding or your lack of answers. Life is asking you to slowly look beyond your mental concerns – and listen to your instincts.

When you’re fighting with your partner – you probably feel alone, as the person you usually turn to for love and understanding now seems to be on the other side. Love is a powerful force that, in relationships, is bound to trigger us. When we know this, we can look at conflicts as opportunities to become more compassionate towards our partner’s hurts and needs – and conscious of our own defences and stress-based responses.