Say What You Need To Say

The days of holding my thoughts and emotions closed off from those I should be sharing them with are in the wind. It might be the cumulative loss experienced, maybe it's the natural order of aging, but regardless of the reasons the result is still me making a more concentrated effort to say what I need to say when it matters most.

Whether the words and emotions tied to them are favorable or they communicate an issue that needs to be resolved, they should be shared. Resisting the urge to do so out of fear that a situation will become uncomfortable, or because of uncertainty in how the words will be received by the other person only creates a well of would-haves and could-haves that eventually erode our confidence and plague our relationships. When we don't offer up what we have willingly, we never experience the full magnitude of emotions associated with our relationships.

Life is far too short and the experiences that make our time here worthwhile are too precious to squander in self-doubt. Censoring ourselves out of fear or uncertainty will eventually rob us of enjoyment and happiness. Address concerns and problems with the people concerned when it is relevant, share your thoughts and feelings with those that impact your life, and cast out the doubt that would prevent you from doing either of these things. If we don't share how we feel or what we are thinking when it is most present within us, we are left with regret at the missed opportunity to build stronger connections with our circle of family and friends.

Say what you need to say — say it with kindness, share it without conditions, and make it a consistent part of your relationships.