Breathe Magazine – Issue 86 (Current Issue)

In this issue: Catching the light – Hold that thought – Mutual understanding – Break your mould – Nature’s pause – Hooked on tradition – Repeated routes Ecology of safety – Scary fairies – Rethinking sleep

‘You will come, won’t you?’, ‘Do you mind hosting?’, ‘Could you spare an afternoon?’ Requests to share, whether it’s your home, your time or your energy, can seem to arrive from every direction as another year draws to a close. And often there’s real joy to be found in doing so. Generosity and togetherness are the bedrocks of happiness after all, and few things feel better than being part of something warm and welcoming.

But there’s one thing that sharing mindset doesn’t always extend to: how you’re really feeling. Navigating new places, new people, family dynamics, past conflicts and criticisms, often it can feel easier to keep quiet rather than admit you need some space. Expectations – your own and others’ – may see you performing happiness or feeling obliged to go that extra mile, when the truth is you’re running on empty. Pretending you’re joyful when you’re not risks drifting into detachment and disconnection, the opposite of the togetherness you were hoping for.

So what if this year you tried something different? Wanting some time to yourself isn’t a personal failing but a natural response to more stressors and less room for recovery. It’s a chance to protect your resources and manage your emotions. Rest isn’t a luxury to squeeze in once everything is done; it’s what makes everything possible. It might sound like, ‘I’m feeling a bit stressed, I’m going to sit down for a few minutes.’ It might be a short walk, a cup of something warming in a quiet room, an early night: these are healthy ways of coping, and they deserve their place on the calendar. It’s generous to share, but be generous with yourself too.