Bon Journal

What is self-expression?

I built analyticalQ.com out of a need to express myself initially. Back in 1999, I didn't know why I desperately wanted to express myself and get feedback. Since then, I've come across situations where I found it difficult to say what I felt or thought.

Self-expression is about being able to say what you mean or want to say. It's about expressing yourself in words, music, painting, or any activity that allows your inner expression to come out.

Some people find it easier to write a poem than to verbalise exactly how they feel. Others express themselves through an activity such as painting or building a house. Still others need an audience to preach to.

What is so special about self-expression? When I was actively covering the energy industry as a magazine editor, I read a lot and networked a lot. Often I found myself repeating snippets of what I read or heard. I might sneak an opinion here and there. But most of the time, I was either summarising or emphasing rather than creating anything original.

What I'm trying to say is --- we may think that we're expressing ourselves when we summarise or repeat what's been said before. But true self-expression is when we are able to articulate what is original within us.

There may be situations where we are tongue-tied or we simply don't know enough to say anything about it. Only in hindsight are we able to reflect and realise what has happened. Or we may feel bothered about something, but we just can't put our fingers on it. Whatever the case, it's human kind's greatest gift --- to speak our minds --- hence, the freedom of speech and religion, two of our inalienable rights.

analyticalQ is dedicated to the pursuit of flexibility which comes from the need to self-express.

14 November 2003 Friday

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