Always Express, Never Repress

Feelings. A state of mind that can turn your whole world upside down in an instant. You’re happy? Everything is great and you can’t wait to show the world you’re happy. You’re sad? angry? scared? These feelings and more are the ones that can make you not only hide from the world but also hide that you’re feeling it at all. Don’t do it. The more you repress, the worse it will get and one day not only will that come crashing down, but everything that you piled on comes crashing with it.

Sometimes we don’t express the less happy feelings because we think it makes us look weak or it makes one feel like we’re less of a person because of it. All untrue. When you express feelings of sadness, fear, anger, etc. it shows that you’re a really strong person. You’re facing what you’re feeling head-on, instead of fighting it or ignoring it, and that makes you a strong person. When you hide what you’re feeling it does more harm than good because you’re not letting yourself process what you’re going through. You need to process, that way you will know what steps to take next to ultimately feel better. In fact, letting yourself feel is what makes you human. At the end of the day you’re human, not a robot who doesn’t feel. You feel.

It’s okay to be happy.

It’s okay to be sad.

It’s okay to be angry.

It’s okay.

There are many ways to express what you’re feeling.

1. Journaling. A great tool. Very cathartic. I carry my journal around with me everywhere, that way when I have a feeling wash over me I can capture that moment with my words.

2. Family/Friends. Talking to a close friend/family is also another great asset. The ones you love the most can sometimes be your biggest allies and supporters.

3. Therapy. Not the cheapest form, but sometimes getting the opinion of an impartial person can be incredibly beneficial. As Eva Mendes has said, “There’s nothing like talking to someone who has no emotional tie to your life.” (Tip- If you’re attending a community college/university, they should offer mental health/psychological services for free. It comes included with your health fees. There are workshops about specific topics, one-on-one therapy sessions, etc. Take advantage, while you can, it’s FREE.)

4. Yourself. Yeah, you. Talk to yourself about what you’re feeling and why you’re feeling it. Analyze it, simplify it. While you’re driving (always remember to pay attention to the road) is the best time to do it. You usually drive with either music or the radio on and now you can talk to yourself about how you’re feeling to get yourself through the day. Will you look crazy? Maybe, but no one knows you’re talking to yourself and if they do, there are more insane things happening in the world today. You can do this anywhere.

Remember the only person who knows how you’re feeling is you. Don’t be afraid to express it. Your future self will thank you.