Being Here – Day 51
Being Here – Poem Day 51
Poem – When I make myself smaller – Noticing
Over the past two days, we’ve stayed close to the experience of shrinking —
first through the body, then through inner recognition.
Today’s poem steps outward.
Self-minimising does not happen in isolation.
It often unfolds inside systems where space is not evenly distributed.
Some voices are amplified.
Some are expected to defer.
Some learn early that visibility carries risk.
Cultural norms can value modesty.
Groups can settle into roles.
Histories can shape who stands forward and who remains at the edges.
Within these structures, reducing one’s presence may not reflect lack of worth.
It may reflect adaptation.
Today’s poem does not turn inward.
It does not suggest taking more space.
It simply places invisibility within broader social and historical patterns.
Pause.
If anything lingers after listening, you might try one small thing — only if it feels helpful.
Let your eyes rest on something in the room that takes up space without apology.
Nothing else is required.
Warmly,
Per
Poem – When I make myself smaller – Noticing
Many spaces are not neutral about presence. Some voices are welcomed. Others are tolerated. Some are quietly overlooked.
In such environments, visibility carries risk. Being noticed can invite scrutiny, comparison, or consequence.
People learn quickly where it is safer to stand. Who can speak freely. Who should stay cautious. Who benefits from being seen.
Hierarchy doesn’t always announce itself. It operates through tone, through attention, through who is interrupted and who is listened to.
In these conditions, making yourself smaller can be a practical adaptation. A way of staying included without drawing attention.
This pattern is often reinforced. Quiet cooperation is rewarded. Loud presence is questioned. Staying unobtrusive feels safer than misstepping.
Seen this way, self-minimising is not simply lack of confidence. It reflects environments where presence has not been evenly supported.
Noticing this doesn’t expand your space. It doesn’t encourage visibility.
It simply places the experience within the structures that shape it, where shrinking back can feel like the most reasonable response available.
