the opposite of depression is expression

I recently learned the etymological opposite of “depression” is “expression” 💭

I heard about this on an episode of the My First Million podcast. When I heard this it reinforced my sense of why I feel terrible when I start to lose touch with myself, my goals, my dreams:

Depression comes from the late Latin word depressare and the classical Latin word deprimere. Deprimere literally means “press down”; de translates into “down” and premere translates into “to press.” In essence, the term appears to denote a feeling of heaviness, of being “pressed down,” that is also referred to as “sad,” “blue,” or simply “down.”
(Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2395346)

early 15c., expressioun, “action of pressing out;” later “action of manifesting a feeling;” “a putting into words” (mid-15c.); from Late Latin expressionem nominative expressio) “expression, vividness,” in classical Latin “a pressing out, a projection,” noun of action from past-participle stem of exprimere “represent, describe,” literally “press out” (see express (v.)). Meaning “an action or creation that expresses feelings” is from 1620s. Of the face, from 1774. Occasionally the word also was used literally, for “the action of squeezing out.”
(Source: https://www.etymonline.com/word/expression)

There are countless ways to express yourself. It can be public or completely private. As long as you are bringing what’s inside of you out, that is expression. For me, I like journaling and dancing. Others may like cooking, drawing, talking, making music, making videos, hosting parties – anything!

How do you like to express yourself? Are you expressing yourself honestly? Is there another way you want to express yourself? Go for it 💗