When deciding what to do next, we can always ask: Does this thought, emotion, or behavior bring me closer to or take me further away from my center?
When a person reports a feeling, it's a comment on our relationship.
The aikido term ma ai, which means "space harmony" ("ai" is Chinese for "love," and it translates into Japanese as harmonious connection) refers to the optimal distance point, where you're close enough to connect well and far enough to enjoy your own space.