It takes a lot of courage to speak your truth, especially in a world that seems to have an overabundance of critics. Sometimes it feels safer and easier to stay silent and avoid any potential conflict. Unfortunately, that means that only the loudest, most aggressive voices will be heard, and only one side of the story will be shared.
Refusing to speak up can give the impression that you are timid, shy, weak, or even disinterested, when that might not be the case at all. Perhaps you do have a lot to say, and you yearn to express yourself. Maybe you feel intimidated or worried that other people might disagree with you, or even ridicule you. Or perhaps you’re not even nervous about self-expression, but rather you just don’t know how to do it. If you were never taught how to express your thoughts and feelings when you were a child, you may go through life feeling stunted or blocked.
Self-expression can be learned, just like any other skill. Once you get the hang of it, you will find it so freeing and satisfying that you will no longer want to hold yourself back.
A good way to start is with a simple visualization to open the flow of your creative expression. Spend a few minutes breathing deeply and relaxing your body, then focus on your throat. Does this area feel tight and closed? If so, inhale slowly and deeply, and as you exhale, imagine your throat area relaxing and expanding. Imagine your creative energy flowing easily through your throat area, expressing outwardly in ways that feel comfortable and natural to you. Repeat this visualization daily until you feel more confident about expressing your thoughts and feelings.
Then consider the many avenues of self-expression that are open to you. Self-expression takes many forms such as verbal speech, writing, artwork, singing, dancing, or even creative hobbies like baking and gardening. Which of these activities feels most natural or interesting to you? Start there, but also know that you are not limited to any one way. Allow yourself to explore and experiment until you find something that feels right to you.
Next, consider what you really want to say. Do you have a story or a truth that you want to share? Ask yourself, âWhat within me is seeking expression today?â Then pause and notice what comes up. Maybe you feel a sense of sadness about world events, or concern about a personal challenge that you are experiencing at the moment. Maybe you have some old, forgotten anger that is ready to be released. Whatever it is, honor it and give yourself permission to express it in a safe, healthy way.
If you feel uncomfortable about doing this publicly, it’s okay to keep it private. Write out your story in a journal, express your turbulent feelings with paint on a canvas, or put on some music and dance until the sadness has been purged from your body.
The more you practice expressing yourself, you will gradually become more comfortable about expressing yourself publicly with other people as well. Even if it’s just verbally sharing your thoughts and opinions with the people closest to you.
