Tell me, what brings you joy? The Art of Self-Expression.

How open and honest are we with ourselves? How open and honest are we with others? Do we avoid the direct approach to truly expressing ourselves? If so, why?

I often find myself hoping for things to happen or change without taking direct meaningful action. I wonder if we weren’t afraid of the consequences that may result from what we think, say and do how much more cooperative and congruent would life be, for all of us?

It is not that I am dishonest, lazy or unwise. I work hard, I put my best efforts in being congruent and authentic in all my actions, and I think I am highly organized and purposeful. Yet still, for what I desire in life I am not always full-frontal. I am sure I am not alone.

How do you feel? What do you desire? What are your dreams? How does life taste? What are your pains? Who do you love? What brings you joy?

Why do we shy away from fully expressing who we are, how we feel and what we desire? I believe self-expression is the doorway to an abundance of all things in life. Self-expression is defined as the expression of one’s feelings, thoughts, and ideas. The power of expression is held in its expansion.

As we tell people how we feel. As we share our thoughts and ideas. If we are as open a book as we can bear to be we allow our internals out. When they are exposed and we give them a chance to breathe, a chance to be in the light, a chance to flourish, a weight is lifted from our shoulders

Like a seed that sprouts and meets sunlight, it begins to grow and expand and eventually allowing itself to blossom into something truly amazing and beautiful. It has the potential to bear fruit not only for the benefit of itself but for all those fortunate enough to be present and near.

And yet we still hold back from authentic self-expression. We still struggle to open our hearts up to the world. We are still reluctant to share.

Have you ever watched children play and be? They have no fear of self-expressions or openly being how they are or wish to be. They have not yet been exposed to a life of conditioning in which we are programmed by reward and punishment.

Yes, conformity brings order to life but it can also be the death of self-expression. If we were without rules, those that are externally imposed and those we create for our own benefit, we might find the quality of our life failing us. However, some rules deserve to be broken including rules that limit authentic self-expression.

Here is why. Expression is the ultimate innovator. The exposure of our thoughts, ideas, and feelings assist us to creatively solve problems. From those little things that seem quite insignificant to those larger issues of life that cause much suffering. Innovation advances our personal lives and the lives of humanity as a whole.

Expression is also a chance to explore who we are. If we don’t reveal how we feel, if we don’t get to touch and experience what we are thinking, what we desire or have the chance to play with our ideas, we don’t grow. Expressive experience leads to progression. It evolves who we are, it reveals what’s most important to us, it shows us more meaningful paths forward in life, it expands our purpose – our “why.”

The pure journey of life isn’t lived by being dragged down paths by external forces to places we don’t want to go. The pure journey is lived by leading ourselves down paths that we wish to go.

For each of us the paths that we take will be different but by remaining curious, interested, fascinated and by authentically expressing what we desire, who we are and how we feel we will be united in were these paths take us and that is towards greater happiness.

The next time you find yourself reluctant in expressing yourself think twice. What is the worse of the two options? Denying freedom of being, receding into conformity and concealing inner happiness or expressing as beautifully as you can all your feelings, thoughts, and ideas so that the inner happiness that always exists can have a chance to shine.

Tell me, what brings you joy?