Genuine self-expression fosters deep connections and personal growth
Here’s the thing about expression. Deep, true authentic expression is what creates connection. When you express what’s inside your heart, you are saying to the world “here I am.” And as others see and hear your voice, some will respond with what’s in their hearts, in essence saying “I see you.”
It’s an incredibly powerful experience—to express a truth and have it witnessed and mirrored back to you. The light inside you responds to that reflection and grows just a little more. You become more interwoven with others in your life.
It’s also an incredibly vulnerable thing to do, this sharing of our selves.
It feels as if it risks everything—what if no one hears? Or worse, what if people hear and no one responds, no one sees me? It can feel dizzying as if showing up to express yourself, your deeper true self, is akin to walking to the edge of a cliff, lifting your foot, and leaning forward.
That’s why so many people shy away from doing it.
They don’t express their thoughts in writing.
Perhaps they never take time to write what is whispering in their soul, calling to them as if from the edges of a forest or the mists of dreams lingering as they wake. Or maybe they never let their words venture beyond the safe confines of the tidy ridges of their notebook.
Or, if they’re working on building a creative business, they don’t express their true selves through their business.
They understand writing and connection is needed, but perhaps they farm out the copywriting or they adopt a tone or a style that is not their own, falsely believing there is a “way you need to be in business.” Or maybe they only write a bare minimum about their business, choosing instead to use their time sharing memes on Instagram or anguishing over making an offer and only sharing it once or twice.
I understand this. It feels vulnerable to share what is yourself, raw on the page or screen, unfettered and out there, available for misunderstanding and turning away.
But the thing is, without doing so, without expressing our deepest essences, our most timid yet real parts of ourselves, we risk never being known, truly.
There will be people who will miss the chance to discover something new about themselves or the world through our writing; there will be people who do not have the opportunity to work with us. They’ll never get to experience our heart-based healing, creativity or brand of joy that we could express through our work or businesses.
I think it comes down to choosing.
To what Anais Nin said when she wrote, “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
How will you choose to express yourself this week?