1 . What do a picturesque sunrise, a nice cup of coffee, and holiday celebrations have in common?    1    Being open about your feelings can be rewarding. Here are some reasons for sharing your feelings with others.

Expressing your feelings connects you with others. When it comes to relationships with your family and significant others, knowing how to express your feelings is the key to creating intimacy (亲密关系).    2    However, it is that sincere revelation(透露) that enables you to bond with your loved ones.

    3    In a study, after participants expressed their emotions, brain images showed a decrease in the brain activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with feelings, indicating a calming effect on the brain. The researchers concluded that talking through emotions decreases the strength of these emotions.

Sharing your feelings boosts health. According to The New York Times, holding everything inside and not expressing your emotions can be harmful.    4    But choosing to appropriately share them benefits you mentally and physically. By doing so, you can normalize your speaking about emotions and emotional needs. This can help not just you, but also others.

Speaking about your emotions enables you to get help. When you put what’s in your mind into words, you are making that experience or emotion real, instead of ignoring it. That’s a way of recognizing yourself. Moreover, talking about your feelings allows your loved ones to help you. They are naturally concerned about your well-being.    5    

All in all, accept your feelings, even negative ones and learn to manage them. Practice sharing your feelings on a regular basis, and you will benefit a lot.

2 . Many people were never taught how to express their emotions. Because they do not know how to express them, they end up repressing (压抑) their emotions instead. For people who have gone through painful life situations, they can end up engaging in unhealthy behaviours to avoid expressing their emotions, such as performing self-injuries or developing eating disorders.     1     Here is how to express emotions.

●Recognize the importance of expressing emotions.

    2     For example, many people who struggle with ongoing depression or anxiety are often actually angry. Because the unexpressed anger has nowhere to go, the person experiences the emotion as depression or anxiety. If you want to take control over your emotional life, you need to first recognize that it is important to express your emotions.

●    3    

Many people who have never learned how to express their emotions have a difficult time even labeling what those emotions are. Some people might feel anger when the emotion that they are actually dealing with is pain. Others might cry and feel sad in situations in which anger is really the more appropriate (合适的) emotion. Practise labeling the emotion that you are actually having.

●Express your anger physically.

Anger can be a frightening emotion for many people to express. Anger is best expressed physically, especially if you have a lot of repressed anger to process.     4     Some good ways to express anger include punching pillows, hitting the ground with a baseball bat, popping balloons or going for a walk.

●Cry out your pain.

Tears really do heal a wounded spirit. However, many people have a hard time expressing their sorrow.     5     You will feel much better after a good cry.