🧡 Why Expressing Yourself Is a Kindness You Deserve
Let’s be real for a moment—most of us are carrying around things we don’t talk about.
Not necessarily big, dramatic secrets. Often, it’s quieter than that. Feelings that sit heavy in the background. Words we’ve never quite said. Memories we steer clear of because, even after all this time, they still sting.
And even though we might not talk about them, those feelings still shape how we move through the world. They show up in our bodies, in our moods, in those moments when we suddenly feel off and can’t quite put our finger on why.
But here’s something I’ve come to believe deeply: giving those feelings a voice—any kind of voice—is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself.
That’s self-compassion, in its truest form.
It’s Strange, Isn’t It? How Easily We Show Kindness to Others—But Not to Ourselves
Something I’ve seen time and time again in therapy is this: people who are incredibly kind and understanding toward others often struggle to give themselves even a fraction of that same care.
They’ll show up for friends, be endlessly forgiving, listen patiently, offer support—because that’s just how they are. But when it comes to their own needs? Their own feelings? That softness disappears.
They’ll apologise for having emotions. They’ll talk themselves out of being “too much.” They’ll carry things in silence for years—not because they don’t feel deeply, but because somewhere along the line, they got the message that their feelings didn’t count.
So when someone like that finally starts writing down how they feel—or gives those feelings a sound, a shape, a space—it matters. A lot. That’s not being self-indulgent. That’s healing work.hey really feel—or say it out loud, even just in private—it’s a big deal. That’s not self-indulgence. That’s healing.
Why Expression Heals
Here’s the truth: feelings don’t disappear just because we push them down. They hang around. Sometimes as anxiety or sadness. Sometimes they wear us down physically—with tension, headaches, or exhaustion we can’t quite explain.
And we get so used to carrying the weight of it all, we stop noticing just how heavy it’s become.
But something shifts when we say it out loud—or write it down—or let it spill out as music. It doesn’t have to be shared with anyone. The moment we acknowledge what’s really there, we stop turning away from ourselves.
We start listening. That’s where healing begins.
Music Makes It Easier
Let’s be honest—talking about feelings can feel awkward or just plain hard. Some things are too raw. Some don’t even have the right words yet.
That’s where music can step in gently.
You can write a line that captures something true without having to explain everything. You can hum a tune that holds a feeling you haven’t quite named. You can hear something that says, “Yes, that’s exactly how I feel”—and know you’re not alone.
You don’t have to be a songwriter. You just have to be open to the idea that your feelings deserve to be heard—even if only by you.
It’s one of the gentlest ways to say, “Hey, I’m here. I’m feeling something. And it matters. to me”
Open up to the possibility
🎧 Want to Try It? Here’s a Gentle Starting Point
You don’t need a big emotional breakthrough. Sometimes the smallest steps open the biggest doors.
✏️ Journaling Prompt:
Finish this sentence:
“Something I’ve never really said out loud is…”
No need to overthink it. Just write what comes. You don’t have to show anyone.
Then ask yourself—what if someone kind read this? Someone who’d just get it. Can you be that person for yourself, just for a moment?one kind—someone who wouldn’t judge you? Can you be that person for yourself?
🎵 Lyric-Writing Tip:
Think of a feeling you usually keep tucked away—maybe doubt, grief, or longing.
Now imagine that feeling could speak. What would it say to you?
Write a couple of lines from its point of view. Then write a reply from your wiser, kinder self. What would compassion sound like if it had lyrics?
Self-compassion isn’t always about comfort. Sometimes it’s about courage—the kind that whispers instead of shouts. The kind that says, “I’m willing to be with myself, even when things are messy or hard.”
One Last Thought Before You Go
Self-compassion isn’t always about bubble baths or soothing words. Sometimes it’s quiet courage—the kind that says, “I’m willing to be with myself, even when I don’t have it all figured out.”
And when you give voice to something you’ve kept hidden? That’s not weakness. That’s strength. That’s you finally showing up for yourself, the way you’ve always shown up for others.
So whether it’s in a journal, a scrap of melody, or a lyric scrawled on the back of an old envelope—let it out. Don’t wait for the perfect words.
The real ones are more than enough.
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