One of our deepest psychological needs as human beings is to belong - to feel seen, accepted, understood and connected to something beyond ourselves. Connection isn't simply a nice thing to have. It can be fundamental to how we experience ourselves and the world around us. Think about what happens when that sense of belonging is threatened or missing. Maybe you've walked into a room and felt like you didn't fit in. Maybe you've moved somewhere new and suddenly realised how much you miss your people. Maybe you've experienced rejection, bullying, grief, loneliness or a relationship breakdown. Maybe you've been surrounded by people but still felt completely alone. Or perhaps you've spent years feeling that you have to hide parts of yourself to be accepted. When our need for connection isn't being met, it can affect so much more than our social lives. It can influence our confidence, our sense of worth, our emotional wellbeing, the way we communicate, the decisions we make and even the way we see ourselves. Sometimes we withdraw. Sometimes we overthink. Sometimes we people-please or constantly seek approval. Sometimes we build walls because being rejected feels safer than risking being hurt again. And sometimes, without even realising it, we begin to believe that we don't belong anywhere. This is one of the reasons I created this community. After years of working with vulnerable adults and children, I've seen first-hand just how powerful it can be when someone finally feels heard, understood and accepted without judgement. I've also experienced, in my own life, how important connection can be during the times when life feels hardest. I wanted to create a space where we can come together, learn, grow, reflect and remind each other that we are human - with all the messy, beautiful, complicated parts that come with that. You don't have to have everything figured out. You don't have to be the loudest person in the room. You don't even have to share if you're not ready. You simply have to know that you belong here.

Before you had a job to do. Before you worried about being productive. Before you cared what people thought. Before life became a never-ending list of things you should be doing. Think back to being a child… What could completely absorb you? What made you lose track of time? Maybe it was drawing, dancing, climbing trees, making things, reading, riding your bike, playing music, collecting things, building dens, being outside, dressing up, making up stories, exploring, getting muddy… Whatever it was, there’s something really powerful about reconnecting with those parts of ourselves. For me, it was being creative, being outside and making dens. I loved creating little worlds. Finding a space, gathering things, making something out of nothing. Being outside. Exploring. Getting lost in imagination. And when I think about what those things gave me, I realise it wasn't really about the den. It was about freedom. It was about curiosity. Creativity. Adventure. Having somewhere that felt like mine. Being present without needing to achieve anything. And perhaps most importantly… being allowed to play. As adults, we can become incredibly disconnected from those parts of ourselves. We become good at being responsible. Good at coping. Good at getting things done. Good at looking after everyone else. And somewhere along the way, we can accidentally leave behind the things that made us feel most alive. But that younger version of you hasn't disappeared. They’re still there. And sometimes reconnecting with them doesn't require some huge life overhaul. It might be as simple as: 🎨 Picking up a paintbrush again. 🌳 Going for a walk and actually exploring rather than exercising. 📸 Taking photographs just because something catches your eye. 🎶 Putting on music and dancing around the kitchen. 🌿 Making something with your hands. 📚 Reading something purely because you enjoy it. 🔥 Sitting outside and making a little den with the kids… or, frankly, making one for yourself. 😂 You don't have to justify it.

🍂 A NEW SEASON… AND MAYBE A NEW VERSION OF YOU? September always feels like a bit of a reset, doesn’t it? The leaves begin to change. The mornings feel different. Summer starts slipping away. Children go back to school. Routines change. The house gets quieter. And suddenly, we’re expected to just… get back to normal. But what if you don’t feel ready for normal? Transitions can be surprisingly unsettling for our nervous system. Even positive change can create uncertainty. A new school year. Children becoming more independent. Returning to work. A relationship changing. A new routine. Menopause. Moving into a different stage of life. Or simply realising that the person you were six months ago isn't quite who you are anymore. Sometimes we don't struggle because something is wrong. Sometimes we struggle because something is changing. And perhaps that's why this time of year can bring up feelings we weren't expecting. You might feel relieved… but sad. Excited… but anxious. Ready for change… but secretly craving the comfort of what you know. You might suddenly have more time for yourself — and realise you don't actually know what to do with it. Or perhaps you're exhausted from spending years looking after everyone else and now you're wondering: “What about me?” 🌱 Remember this: You don't have to rush into the next season. You don't have to have it all figured out. You don't have to become a completely new person. Maybe this season is simply an invitation to come back to yourself. To listen. To slow down. To notice what your body is telling you. To ask yourself: What do I actually need now? And then, one tiny step at a time, begin giving yourself more of it. This is what we're about here in Myo My Alchemy. Not fixing ourselves. Not becoming perfect. But understanding ourselves a little better - our brains, our bodies, our nervous systems, our patterns and the things that make us us. So let's start a conversation… 🍂 POLL TIME Does this time of year feel like a difficult transition for you?