Finding the Words

People tell me things they’ve went through in life. I reflect back the variety of emotions and feelings that most likely developed.

Eyes often fill up with tears, “It’s hard to hear what I’ve not been able to describe with words.”

There are a lot of explanations for the inability or discomfort of associating words to how we feel.

If we were raised in a place where others were outspoken, we were told how to feel, what to think, and when to speak. If we showed emotion, we were told, “I’ll give you something to be upset about!”

Other times, we might have been raised in a really quiet place, where everyone seemed distant or withdrawn.

It may have more to do with our present situation than how we were raised, or a combination of several factors might be the best explanation.

Regardless of the cause, these are some of the beliefs at work.

• “I can’t let it out.”
• “I don’t know if anyone will care.”
• “I can’t handle it.”

An emotional vocabulary is lacking or underdeveloped. When people don’t have the words to describe how they feel or what they’re thinking, they often don’t say anything. That leads to a whole bunch of other problems.

Discovering the words and finding your voice are important. It’s difficult but worth it!