BEING HONEST

It is my responsibility to express my feelings respectfully and honestly.  At times so much fear gets in the way of being able to do this.  I resort to making passive aggressive remarks or nonverbal gestures and facial expressions that end up wounding and making the situation worse than it needs to be.  Sometimes I rationalize away my feelings or hide them behind busyness, eating or drinking.  However, I end up paying a toll for this form of expression with physical illness, addiction, and depression.  Certainly my family never taught me to speak directly; instead I learned it could be dangerous to speak up.  Learning the tools to communicate my feelings and needs assertively takes time, courage and practice.   

Today, I choose to take the risk of direct and honest expression; reminding myself that I am no longer in my dysfunctional family of origin.  I will give myself permission to practice new behavior and acknowledge my bravery when I do so.  I can speak up even about topics that are hard for me to talk about.  I have a right to choose how and when I express myself.