Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Secret to Expressing Yourself

If you recognize in yourself a special skill, talent, ability, or even a unique way of thinking, begin to express that quality in your daily life beginning NOW!

You do have greatness within you. Most people secretly yearn for the "opportunity" to express their great qualities. They are forever waiting for some grand moment to come along and welcome them, as if they need someone's permission to genuinely express themselves.

This is backwards thinking; in expressing your greatness now, YOU create that welcoming experience the moment you touch another soul. An idea in the mind is an unfocused idea, and so long as it remains only in the mind, it will remain unfocused.

You must begin the act of expression for the process of focus to come into play. It is in the ACT that your focus will become defined, even if your expression is simply words on the paper.

In fact, this is the standard procedure every writer knows only too well. A book is not written the first time, and what you the reader sees in reading a good book is but a fraction of what was originally written.

So if you have an idea but are not clear about it (especially the how), I suggest you grab a notebook and begin writing your idea out. What you first write may be the worst words you can imagine being written, but that does not matter at this point. What matters is that you are actually engaged in the process of expression.

Just continue to write without going back and editing what you have already written. There will be time for that soon enough. This is a process in which magic so often happens, but it needs a little time and patience. The more you are focused on the act of trying to express yourself on paper, the sooner your mind will connect with a deeper source within you, and clarity of thought will be the eventual result.

You will not ever get to this point without taking that first vital step, so get going.

Another point to make is that if your goal of expressing yourself has nothing to do with writing, you still might consider the above process just to inspire greater focus in your idea.

If your dream is of an oral nature, to be a speaker for example, then begin making a conscious effort to speak with others about what it is you are passionate about. Don't be shy, and begin to take note how people react when your passion genuinely comes through your voice.

Don't discuss your dreams as "if only...". Rather speak of what you enjoy most about expressing yourself through the spoken word, and just how much you are enjoying the path you are now on in doing so. Make your every expression show that you are now living on the path to greatness, whatever that means to you personally.

If your thing is art or craft, begin by showing your creations in your own home, or make gifts of your work to family, friends, and coworkers. Word will spread and you will be thrilled when that first "request" comes in that someone actually wants you to create something for them or to gift to someone else.

This will be a moment worth celebrating for sure!

Whatever it is about you that you wish the world to know, begin right now to express yourself, and be proud in doing so. This is what it means to begin living your dreams, and when you are living your dreams, everybody wins.

Jeffrey Brandt
Author of Close Your Eyes to Find Your Way

I would like to give a special Thank You to my good friend Michelle Colon Johnson who has been a great inspiration to me and who did specifically inspire this post. Michelle, you are the best!!!


All writings here are copyrighted by Jeffrey Brandt. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.