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MANILA, Philippines — If there’s one thing you should never hold back on, it’s self-expression.
Expressing yourself does so much more than just letting your innermost thoughts and feelings out. At the very basic level, it can give you a sense of relief and freedom as you open yourself up to others.
Self-expression not only lets others know about you, it also leads yourself to understand your identity better. It also challenges you to make your presence known in the most creative way possible.
And when you constantly express yourself, you slowly but surely get to “own” your identity. People begin to identify you with your craft, and you become better at what you do. (READ: CONVERSATION: The new ways of self-expression)
How do you go about it, then? Here are a few ideas to help you get started!
Make your very own dance video
Whether you jump on the bandwagon and follow the latest viral dance craze or come up with a personal dance to express your feelings, the Internet has practically everything you need to get started. Go the DIY route and look up videos by the pros on YouTube that you can follow or get ideas from, or run a search on Google to find the nearest dance studio near you and sign up for classes. No matter what you choose to do, don’t forget to film yourself!
Conduct photography experiments
Give flatlays and emotive photos a rest for a bit and challenge yourself to come up with artistic photographs. Experiment with different photographic techniques using just your smartphone. Google Play and App Store offer a wide array of photographic apps that can help you, so it’s only a matter of picking the ones that suit what you want to do. For example, try the Fused app for blending photographs ala double exposure photos, or D3LTA for manipulating your photos to look like geometric art.
Pick a random word to prompt an essay, poem, or a short story
Some might see writing as a daunting undertaking, but you don’t really always need to have a grand idea when you start writing. Sometimes, all it takes is a single word to get things going. Really! The Writing Prompts app provides different types of prompts to get your creative juices running. When you finally have your idea down, write with an app like Evernote which you can sync to your e-mail so you can access it anytime whether you’re using your PC or smartphone.
Film a stop-motion video
Do you have a story to tell? Try telling it with a stop-motion video! In case you’re not familiar with it, a stop-motion video is where you continuously start and stop the camera, and move the objects in the frame in between pauses to create the impression of movement. Again, YouTube is a minefield of videos that show you how to make one, as well as those that inspire you. And when you’re ready, grab your smartphone and start filming with apps like Stop Motion Studio and StopMotion Recorder.
Compose a song inspired by a random object
Inspiration can come from anything – sometimes even from the most mundane of things. During your next commute to school or anywhere, pay closer attention to your surroundings. Try to find an interesting object that you can write a song about: a car, a train, or even a bridge. Come up with the lyrics, then compose the music to back it up with apps like GarageBand and Music Maker Jam.
Of course, with self-expression, you don’t stop at creation. You have to showcase your work, too, and in this ultramodern day and age, the whole world is your stage – the online world, that is. All it takes is just a few taps or clicks to conveniently and instantly present your work to others connected to the Internet.
With Smart, you can do just that and more. Not only do you get to own and share your identity with others, you can also explore what others from all over the world have to share and maybe even be inspired by them.
No matter what you say and how you say it, be loud and proud and #OwnIt! — Rappler.com
#OwnIt is about being the change you want to see. Smart empowers the youth to embrace their uniqueness and pursue their passions by using today’s technology. Know more about the campaign here.
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