Our regular contributor, conversationalist and woman advocate at Sisterhood Connect, Thobile "Tops" Mkhwanazi joined us to unpack a feeling almost everyone has experienced at some point: being excluded. Whether it's not being invited, being left out of conversations, or watching others move forward without you, exclusion can cut deeper than many people realise.

Research has shown that social rejection activates the same areas of the brain associated with physical pain, making the hurt feel very real. But does being left out define your worth, or is it an opportunity to re-evaluate the people and spaces you allow into your life?