Our feelings and emotions aren't always easy to show, and often we feel as though they even take control of us.
Expressing yourself is important for several reasons, the most important being our physical and emotional health. You might think that not expressing our anger or sadness won't affect us, but the truth is that our bodies feel the effects of what we suppress, which can lead to various illnesses.
Everything we keep bottled up gradually makes us less happy. Along with the illnesses our bodies may develop, our psychological well-being is also greatly affected. We become more irritable and sensitive, everything bothers us, and we easily explode in situations we later realize didn't warrant such a reaction. Why does this happen? When we face difficult situations, we keep our feelings to ourselves. Other equally important situations pile up, and we continue not to express ourselves. Then something minor happens, and it's simply the last straw.
Here are some tips and options to help you express yourself in a healthy way, both for your own sake and for others.
ART
I've always said that the best way to express yourself is through art: writing poetry, stories, or your thoughts; learning to play an instrument or dance; singing, painting, acting, and so on. Art is the best way to channel sadness, anger, happiness, frustration, and other emotions. If something hurts, what better way to turn it into something beautiful than through art?
So don't hesitate to pick up a pencil or paintbrush, or press play on your favourite song, to express yourself.
WRITE A LETTER AND READ IT TO A FRIEND
What worries us most about expressing ourselves is how to say what we mean. We don't know if we're being too cold or too sensitive, if we might hurt someone, or if expressing ourselves will make it seem like we're trying to create conflict. One way to deal with this is to write a letter and then read it to someone you trust, so they can give you their opinion on how you might improve the way you express something so important.
Thinking about how we would like others to speak to us is also a way to build empathy.
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WAIT FOR THE EMOTIONS TO PASS
What I mean here is that it is not wise to talk when our emotions and feelings are running high. When we are caught up in an emotion, we tend to exaggerate, say things we later regret, and talk too much. This is because reason takes a back seat and we tend to act more impulsively.
It is best to calm down, whatever emotion or emotions we may be feeling, take a breath, think clearly, and then talk about the situations we want to address.
Remember that when you hold on to resentment, anger, sadness, or any other emotion, you are the one who suffers most.
