Publisher’s Note: This piece reflects the opinions of the author and the author only. These views do not represent The Leesburg Times Media Company.

Expressing yourself should be free, correct? You should be allowed to sit freely and be happy with who you are. Although to some people, such as maybe some individuals from other generations, self expression can feel unfamiliar or simply different from what they grew up with. While not all of those generations, some may just see things through a different lens because of the time and environment they experienced.

Now, what is self expression? Going to different resources would tell you quite a bit, and maybe some of those resources would sound the exact same. I want to say that in my eyes, self expression is through a variety of different things. Personality, style, mannerisms, etc. All of these revolve around a person and how they want someone to look at them or even how they want people to see them. A person can even express themselves through some of the music they listen to, such as rock, metal, pop, hip hop, or R&B. Not just one thing can help a person express themselves.

Self expression doesn’t just stop at style, personality, mannerisms, or music. It can also be shaped by someone’s background, experiences, and the community they come from.

So why is it such a problem to express oneself? This could be because some other generations simply grew up in a time when self expression was viewed differently. They may not have been exposed to the same openness we see today, and that can make newer forms of expression feel unfamiliar or surprising.

Self expression is both the friend and the foe. While some generations may feel unsure about it, others may look up to it and want to do exactly as someone else does or even be a part of that fashion or that mindset. It’s not a bad thing to express yourself as who you truly think you are. In fact, it may even be praised.