Express Yourself
I remember several years back attending a workshop for coaches that was focused on the business side of running a coaching practice. Our keynote speaker talked about the things we needed to have in place to run a successful business. One of the items centered on finding a way to express yourself, so that those who would potentially be your clients would know what you were all about. He suggested three ways to do that. Those ways were to do speaking engagements, be a presence on social media through video or to write and post your writings prominently where those you wanted to reach could see them. While doing all three may be most effective, he encouraged us to at least do one of them. I chose to do writing.
Admittedly it makes one feel good when they receive favorable comments on something they have written. I have been blessed to have that happen frequently, particularly from the articles in my monthly newsletters. However, I want to let my readers in on a little secret. Writing has been a very therapeutic activity for me. Each month when I sit down to either compose my blog posts or newsletter articles I give them a great deal of thought. What has been going on in my life? What are the issues that those that I have met are experiencing? Who has done or said something inspirational that made an impression on me that not only should I benefit from, but also others? I would hope that it is obvious, that a lot of my writing comes from my first hand experiences.
I realize writing isn’t for everyone. It can be a torture for some to do. However, I think what it does for me, is get me out of my own head, and out into another medium where I can get a perspective as to what is important to me. While that is done for me through my writing, it does not have to be that way for everyone. For example, going back to the three ways to present oneself that were presented above, if one chooses to make a video, once viewing that video and recording it until it portrays and conveys what one chooses to express, is a great way to get to know oneself. Speaking in front of a group, unless asked to do so spontaneously, requires a good deal of preparation. I know when I do talks on career topics I first bring everything out in presentation format, and then review it several times before I have it in the order and at a pace that are right to me to share with my audience. Even the simple act of engaging a really good listener in conversation, someone who will ask you open ended and meaningful questions, that allow you to express yourself and hear what you truly believe, can be so helpful.
By expressing ourselves and bringing our thoughts out into the open we also gain another tremendous advantage. We don’t get trapped into believing what is possible to the limits of our own mind. While all of us have intelligence, none of us know all the possibilities and answers. It is easy to get caught up in a finite set of answers to each issue that we may face. However, bringing our thoughts out in the open, where we can see them and where others can see them, allows them to be afforded other suggestions. As I said earlier, one of the values that I have found is that the writing I do can be very therapeutic. That which I share with my readers on many occasions is enlightening me to a way to address an issue that I am facing at the moment I am composing my blog or newsletter article.
Therefore, if you find that you are trapped in your own thoughts, not moving forward and confused as to what to do next, realize expressing your thoughts is of benefit to you. If you can’t find someone that you trust that will just listen and provide you the questions you need to begin expressing yourself, consider just putting your thoughts to paper and see what happens. I can tell you from experience, you may be surprised at what you learn about yourself.
