denying an emotion doesn't stop it from existing with david larbi | Live A Little with Nikki Lilly

on this episode of live a little, nikki lilly is joined by someone she's been wanting to have on for ages - writer, creator, and poet david larbi. nikki and david immediately click as "friends in waiting" - those people you follow and just know you'd get on with, but need that in-person connection to solidify it. they explore the importance of never dismissing what you feel - because denying an emotion doesn't stop it from existing, it just makes it harder to process. nikki shares her therapist's beautiful metaphor about emotions being like weather, which leads into a conversation about why david's poetry resonates so deeply with people: it simplifies big, difficult feelings into something beautiful and digestible. david gets vulnerable about losing his mum when he was 21, how grief became the language he learned to speak through poetry, and why he doesn't believe in "everything happens for a reason" - some things are just heartbreaking and unfair, and trying to make sense of them is pointless. the episode wraps with powerful reminders about coming out of uni, why flowers open at different times and they're all still valid, and how the caterpillar is just as worthy as the butterfly. grab a cup of tea, get cosy and remember - your value is intact now. don't forget to subscribe and don't miss new episodes every thursday! chapters: 00:00 nikki welcomes david larbi and discusses journaling 02:59 david's evolving journaling practice and self-reflection 04:59 why denying emotions makes them harder to process 10:17 the privilege of connecting with one person online 16:56 setting boundaries and disconnecting from online persona 25:39 beyond 'everything happens for a reason' and internal value 27:19 the success of just being and finding contentment 32:27 why writing a book is a journey of delayed gratification 38:35 benjamin zephaniah and art as a universal language 43:31 be kind to yourself and live a little Follow Live A Little with Nikki Lilly Stream Now: https://nikkililly.lnk.to/livealittle Instagram:   / livealittlepodcast   TikTok:   / livealittlepodcast