The Urge to Express Yourself – Self Expression

How often have our creative selves been swept to the side, making us an observer rather than a producer of creative projects? We internalize the belief that we don’t have what it takes to make it big;like I always wanted to write but was hesitant about it; and of course we don’t make it because we have hardly tried. The desire for self-expression afflicts people when they feel there is something of themselves which is not getting through to the outside world. Expression of one's own personality, feelings, or ideas, as through speech or art:

One day I realised that our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.--the reason for the inherent urge of self expression.
“If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.”--says a painter
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”--says a musician
Self-observation brings man to the realization of the necessity of self-change. And in observing myself I noticed that self-observation itself brought about certain changes in my inner processes. So self-observation is for me an instrument of self-change, a means of awakening.

 The freedom we are looking for is the freedom to be ourselves, to express ourselves. There are thousands of causes for stress, and one antidote to stress is self-expression. That's what happens to me every day. My thoughts get off my chest, and onto my pad.

I believe that creative expression, whether through daily creativity or through making art, is worth the effort. As it contributes to a richer life.

The benefits & highs that creativity brings & adds to our life can be summed up in the following few lines:-

1. sense of time. Countless artists have discussed the experience of timelessness that one encounters in the creative zone. I feel like I'm in limbo when I'm writing,tiredness,time etc all is forgotten.
But we moan about not having enough time to even get into the flow. Strangely enough, when you give time to creative pursuits, you gain time. Who couldn’t use the feeling of more time?

2. Freedom. Creativity invites messiness and exploration. Here’s an opportunity to return to that feeling of freedom such as we experienced in childhood. We didn’t have to know, didn’t have to be ‘good’, be in control, be the expert and not care about being right or looking good?--I bet not since infancy...

3. Enhanced relationships. Many people fear that if they begin doing their creative work, their relationships and other priorities will suffer.
But when we are actively creating, we feel better about our relationships. We tend to be more generous to others. We have more to give because we have answered our urge to create. We forgive & forget more easily,always wanting to do our best--like when in a new relationship with another human being......we dress well,listen patiently,smile more often,shower gifts...

4. Living integrity. When we are actively working on our projects, we honor our innate creativity. This feels better than wishing we were writing, or talking about writing, but not doing it.

5. Save money. :) Expressing yourself can control the urge to impulse buy. Do you ever find yourself shopping out of boredom? Expressing yourself creatively can often fill the need to impulse shop.
Save money and do something creative instead of buying something you don’t really need or want. Wow...specially in these financial crunch times.

6. Energetic Call it a good mood,a natural high. When we’ve done our creative work, we gain energy for our other responsibilities. I think this is the best reason to create – it feels ummmh!..so good!
Forget TV, overeating, over-sugaring or drinking and tap the true source of your vitality.Wish I had earlier..I wouldn't have been so obese :) :)

7. Connection with other creative people. When we are creating, we are connected to those who work in the challenging but rewarding field of artistic creativity.

8. Faith and confidence in our impulses. When we create, we recognize that our work does matter even if it is not published, displayed or presented to the public. We trust our instincts and gain confidence from expressing them. This confidence carries over into decisions we make in other areas of life.

9. Honoring the source of creative ideas. Where does creative inspiration come from? Some think it is God, or other divine source. We honor the gift of creative inspiration when we listen and act on our ideas, and by doing so, we are connecting to a deeper wisdom than our own.

10. Self-knowledge and discovery.  As we create, we plumb the depths of our being, accessing what we think and believe. You may be surprised at the resources, thoughts and impulses that you discover there.

"Continue to be yourself because in the end that's what people will remember about you"