BENEFIT of POSITIVE SELF-EXPRESSION -

FACING THOSE THINGS THAT BOTHER US -

---There are many different ways to positively express yourself. One way is to share some of what is inside with someone else. This is a good way to affect the system, positively.
---Most resident’s at the hospital, have a frustration just from dealing with health issues. Unfortunately, we reinforce NOT expressing that frustration instead of teaching the resident how to deal with that frustration. He learns many things that DON’T express the frustration and, has to deal with things that create more frustration. Suddenly, he has more than he started with.
---We must learn that it’s okay to have the frustration and be with it, instead of NOT having it. Many, if not most of us, don't feel what we're feeling. We try to go someplace else, and distract ourselves from feeling bad. We would get through our frustrations and grow at a faster pace if we weren’t so hell-bent on avoiding certain feelings…especially the more painful ones.
---They say, ''our toughness comes from our ability to face our embarassments and pains.'' And, ''the quickest way around something, is to go through it.'' We are less defensive and don’t blame others as much when we face uncomfortable things. Remember that it is more difficult in thinking about facing something than, actually, facing it. That's how we GROW.
---We then accept our own responsibility in situations. We find ourselves thinking for ourselves and are that much closer to finding and speaking with our own voice. We do everything with greater conviction. We have changed the negative of feeling badly into part of our new ''tougher'' self by this process of self-expression. It is certainly nice to get what we want, but in reality it is good to be able to survive the other side, also. Take Care.

''We can't always get what we want, but if we try sometimes, we may get what we need.'' The ROLLING STONES