How can I improve my ability to express my feelings without bottling them up?

I struggle with expressing my emotions, especially when I feel hurt or upset. Instead of speaking up, I tend to let things go, but the feelings don’t actually go away, they just build up.

I find it difficult to express how I feel in the moment. But when I finally do, it sometimes comes out too harshly, maybe because I have kept it bottled up for too long. This makes me afraid to speak up, as I worry about sounding too harsh, being misunderstood, or being seen as overreacting.

But at the same time, I know that healthy communication is important for my relationships and overall well-being.

I want to improve my ability to express my emotions in a balanced, healthy way. How can I work on this and break the habit of bottling things up? What strategies have helped you become better at open and constructive communication?