Plenty of us struggle with saying what’s on our minds, whether it’s a positive expression of emotion or some conflict that needs to be addressed and resolved.
We can speak about conflict on another day. Today let’s look at sharing those positive emotions that are sometimes difficult to express.
Should you or shouldn’t you?
Most of the time if we have to ask ourselves this question, the overwhelming fear is that we may somehow look foolish if we do share an expression.
Will they think I’m being silly? Maybe stupid? Maybe even inappropriate? Or worse yet, weird?
Possibly.
Or, conversely, it may resonate with them. It may make their day, or maybe even their entire year. Perhaps no one has ever taken the time or made the effort to tell them what you are struggling to say.
Maybe it’s going to be really important to them. Even if it makes you feel a little foolish.
We all have to decide if we’re going to take those emotional risks in our lives. Some will work out well, while others will fall flat and make our cheeks burn in shame. And that will smart.
But what kind of narrow lives will we have if we were not willing to venture an emotional risk because we might end up looking foolish?
A small life. A contained life. And I don’t want that kind of life, even if it means that I’ll feel the sting of shame or embarrassment or misjudgment from time to time.
Because the riches that I’ll gain from extending myself are bound to be so much greater.
So you’ve got to ask yourself…what kind of life do you want?
I love you too