Express Your Self: Exploring the Nature of the Expressive Self and the Health and Well-Being Consequences of Its Restriction in a Market Society

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to explore the expressive aspects of the self. Three main assumptions underlying our notion of the expressive self are it is innate, experiential, and holistic. The expressive self is by nature a dynamic inner imperative that both creates and uses energy. Our primary focus is to propose and explain four innate central tendencies of the expressive self: eudaimonia, self-determination, flow, and biophilia. We first describe the essence of each of these innate potentialities with an overview of how they interrelate to form a coherent expressive self. Then, we delve into how our present cultural system (market society) is thwarting the development of this naturally expressive self that is longing for release. This thwarting process of the expressive self has led to the emergence of a restrictive self with myriad negative physical, psychological, social, and behavioral health and well-being consequences. We conclude with research possibilities and ideas for future exploration of the expressive self.