Growing up you may have felt or believed that your opinion does not matter. This is likely because you have always been told to respect your elders and other people have had authority over you for most of your life. So, it is not surprising that for some people, their opinions are not valued by themselves. However, it is important to know that your opinion does matter and that your voice needs to be heard. So, this article aims to give some amazing reasons as to why your opinion matters.
- Having an opinion is healthy
Yes, you read that correctly. Having and sharing your opinion is healthy. Now, while you may associate health with eating fruits, vegetables and exercising (which is certainly true and something which is encouraged), there are other ways in which you can be healthy, too, including sharing your opinion. To be healthy is simply being in a state that allows you to function in wider society. So, while exercise and a good diet contributes to this, so does being able to share your thoughts and opinions to others. This is because if you always sit back and stay silent, these thoughts can end up filling your mind, negatively affecting your mental health. If you want to best protect and take care of your mental health, then you must have a clear mind, which expressing your opinions can help you achieve.
- Expressing your opinions can help you grow
Another great reason as to why sharing your opinion matters is because it can help your grow. Of course, growth here is not referring to physical growth and while that might be a nice idea, growth is referring to personal development. When you value your opinion enough to share it, then you can receive feedback from others that can help you grow. Say, for example you expressed a new and innovative idea or opinion to your teammates, they will be able to tell you all the pros and cons associated with your idea/opinion, which can help you to better improve and adapt. However, if you had stayed silent and not expressed yourself, you would not have been able to receive the feedback, which would have been most likely constructive. So, valuing and expressing your opinion cannot only benefit yourself, but others, too!
- Your opinion makes a difference
Further, your opinion matters because it has the potential to make a difference, for good or bad. So, it is important to note at this stage that not all opinions can lead to positive results or outcomes and it is crucial that you remember this. But that does not mean that they cannot, because they can. For instance, when learning about the difference between independent living and assisted living, you will likely develop an opinion that will shape your decision in terms of care options.
So, you need to be able to have, value and express your opinion so that you can make positive changes.
