Invalidated,
or Too Much?

You have started rehearsing your feelings before you say them out loud, softening them in advance so they will not sound as big as they are. That habit did not start with you. It started with someone who told you that you were too much.

Answer from the moments when you bring a feeling to him and wait for his response. The more honestly you name what happens there, the more clearly this reflection can show whether you feel heard or have learned to make yourself smaller.