Yeah The Girls 40 Plus Digital Magazine - Magazine - Page 117
117
September 2025
LIVING SMALL VS LIVING EXPANDED
For much of my life, I knew what it was to shrink. To hold myself back, to silence my truth, to
survive rather than thrive.
And I see the same story in so many women I work with. Women who have spent decades
caring for others, managing households, working hard, holding it all together—until one day
they look in the mirror and wonder, Where did I go?
When we’re anxious, depressed, or carrying the scars of the past, life contracts. Our shoulders
curl in, our voice softens, our world narrows. We vanish piece by piece.
But here’s the good news: Expansion is always possible. Expansion is your birthright.
It’s about choosing to take up the space that’s already yours—physically, emotionally,
spiritually. It’s not about adding more to your plate. It’s about breathing more life into the one
you already have.
EXPANSION IN THE BODY
Our body tells our story before we ever say a word. Rounded shoulders, shallow breathing,
eyes cast down—these are the physical signatures of survival mode.
But with one conscious breath, everything can shift.
Try this at home:
Roll your shoulders back.
Take a slow, deep breath—into your belly, not just your chest.
Plant your feet on the floor.
As you exhale, imagine yourself expanding into the space around you.
This isn’t just relaxation—it’s a declaration. You are here. You are allowed to take up space.
