Expressing negative emotions are often frowned upon because it may lead to bad situations. That is probably why a lot of people try their best to suppress their feelings. As a result, we tend to bottle up negative emotions, including anger, frustration, loneliness, or jealousy. We have been taught to control our emotions so that we don’t end up doing things we regret. Unfortunately, most of us learned to suppress and repress our feelings. That means, instead of facing and accepting that we are not feeling too great, we learn to mask it with silence or fake smiles.
If you continue hiding negative emotions, you also unconsciously teach yourself to avoid expressing positive sentiments. Sometimes, you might want to express your love or appreciation towards a certain person. However, you try to stop yourself because of the fear of being judged or rejected. If you make suppressing your emotions a habit, you will eventually experience mental, emotional, and psychological issues. To avoid this, you need to learn to express yourself regardless of whether you have positive or negative emotions. Here are a few effective ways to speak your mind:
- Practice speaking up—Start by opening up to a trusted person. You don’t need to spill all your emotions in one go. Start by sharing small bits about yourself. Doing this will teach you to be more confident and comfortable in expressing yourself.
- Choose words wisely—Expressing your feelings doesn’t mean that you have to be harsh or inconsiderate towards other people. Always practice caution every time you plan to speak up. Choose your words carefully and remain respectful regardless of the situation.
- Try the written approach—You can also try the written plan if you are not used to speaking your mind verbally. You can send an e-mail to your boss. You can create a beautiful handmade card complete with greeting stamps for your loved ones. Expressing yourself through written letters will help you pour your heart out without regretting a single word.
Benefits of Expressing Yourself
- Face your fears—You need to accept that there will always be a possibility of being rejected or judged after speaking up. However, if you remain honest about your feelings, you will learn how to face your fears. You will also learn how to anticipate possible outcomes rather than avoiding a situation completely.
- Minimize feelings of anxiety—You don’t need to worry about the possible outcome of things. After expressing what you feel, you will know the result immediately. Doing this will help you avoid overthinking about what-ifs because you have spoken what’s on your mind.
- Be clear about boundaries—People will learn to accept limitations and respect boundaries. If you speak up about something that makes you feel uncomfortable, people will stop bothering you about it. They will also learn to show more respect and be more mindful of their actions.
- Build better relationships—Improving your communication skills also leads to more reliable connections with other people. If you can freely express your emotions, especially positive feelings, you can strengthen your bond with other people.
Expressing your sentiments does not only benefit people around you. It also helps you find an effective way to avoid dwelling on negative emotions. If you learn how to speak your mind effectively, you won’t have a lot of regrets in the future. Keep in mind that expressing yourself is essential to ensure that you remain healthy, mentally, and emotionally. You also need to be comfortable when people try and express their thoughts to you.
