9 Ways to Ease Yourself Out of the Closet

If I know one thing in life, it is that when we do what is in our heart, follow our own moral compass, or do what we feel we have to, there is always going to be someone who isn't going to like it. You, being honest about who you are and what you want, isn't going to be easy for everyone. But, that is true of not just being gay, straight, or bisexual.

Everything from working as a musician instead of being a doctor, being an artist instead of putting on your three-piece suit to hit the office, disappoints anyone with other plans for you.

If you want to live a genuine life full of life, love, and laughter, allow yourself to be who you are. After all, like I always say, if you are okay with you, then fuck anyone who isn't.

# Choose the right time

There is a right and a wrong time to come out of the closet. There might be a day when you have an epiphany that life is too short. You are just going to let the cat out of the bag, but coming out of the closet is something to plan for and consider the right time to do.

Waiting one more day, or even a week, to make sure you prepare for the fallout that could ensue, or to let some dust settle if things are out of control, is the best way to make it go over better and be less emotion-laden.

# Choose the right situation

Some situations beg for you to come out of the closet and others that beg for you not to. Don’t hijack someone else’s event by making it all about you. Sure, you want to make a statement, but doing it at the expense of someone else isn’t really fair.

If you want to bring your new boy/girlfriend to your cousin’s wedding, then finding the right time before the event is better. You don’t want to show up for your reveal and upset the big day for your cousin.

# Single out people instead of making a big announcement

Letting everyone know at once cuts down on the rumor mill and gets it all out there without the hassle. But, if there are people who you have an obligation to tell ahead of time to give them time to process, then do that.

There is a respect factor involved. If there is someone important in your life, take the time to tell them in person, one-on-one, so they deal with it on their own time and in their own way.

# If someone is upset, it is on them

Remember if you come out of the closet, you are out and you won’t wish you kept it hidden any longer. If someone has a problem with your lifestyle, that is on them.

There are likely going to be some people who aren’t happy; you know that, but they aren’t your problem. If you are okay with your own decisions, then be alright. Let them work through it, or not, it isn’t your fault or problem.

# Be honest

There might be questions that come from your coming out of the closet. Don’t take offense, you have known about it for a while, those who didn’t know, just found out.

If you are honest about how you feel, how you have always felt, when it started, and how long you have known, it eases any guilt others might harbor. Just be as honest as possible to make things go well.

# Speak from the heart

Telling people that you are gay is one of the hardest things in the world. But, if you speak from the heart, and speak directly to theirs, they quickly realize your happiness is what is important and see you have hidden who you are and that it isn’t fair. That brings acceptance more quickly.

# Don’t be afraid

Easier said than done. I know. There is nothing worse than feeling like you can lose significant people in your life if they don’t approve. If they can’t accept who you are, then they aren’t providing you with unconditional love. You are worthy of nothing less.

If someone decides they aren’t okay with it and aren’t going to accept it, then you are better off without them in your life. No matter how hard that might be.

# There is an order you should follow

Think about how the rumor mill is going to follow and go with the heavy hitters first. Often, we prolong the hard things longer, which when coming out of the closet, might come back to bite you.

Tell those who will be the toughest the soonest. Think of it this way, once they know, the rest is just cake.

# Answer questions if necessary instead of clamming up

There are going to be a lot of questions. Show people that it isn’t just a phase or something you are experimenting with by answering all the questions they have.

There are going to be people who refuse to accept that you are in your right mind or that you even know how you feel yourself. If you answer their questions without pause and with conviction, then they have an easier time accepting the truth.