Privacy

By On January 23, 2013 · 10 Comments · In Living Stories Worth Telling

It’s great advice. Advice I already knew but needed to hear again (and still need to hear again and again). Advice that has kept me from posting plenty of things here on my blog.

“Have someone–who is not your blog–share your heart with.”

Ouch.

I’m an introverted writer. The loudest way I process is with a pen on a piece of paper. A lot of those thoughts could be turned into good blog posts.

If I could blog some version of everything I write, my life would be easy.

But I can’t.

I can’t tell you all things that I haven’t told my real-life friends.

I can’t let strangers on the internet know more about me than the people I see every day.

Which means sometimes I must be silent here.

(No, I’m not going on a blog sabbatical).

Do you have someone in real life you share thoughts and concerns with before you share with your blog readers? If not, what’s preventing that kind of relationship?

BufferShare via email
 
  • http://twitter.com/citrus_sunshine Andrea Ward

    I do, but I don’t often open up that way. I should use those people more often. Why don’t I? Hmm… I suppose I don’t want to bother people. I have a hard time believing that people want to hear what I have to say. When I’m blogging I don’t have to worry so much about bothering people because they choose to read my blog.

    • http://KatieAxelson.com/ Katie Axelson

      I sometimes feel the same way but I’d rather people hear directly from me that I’m struggling with this or that rather than reading it on my blog (mostly because I’d rather hear from my friends directly than see something on their blogs).

  • http://twitter.com/tara_brittany Tara Brittany

    Dang. That hit hard. It’s a lot easier to talk on my blog sometimes, than in real life. What a challenge. Thanks for that, Katie.

    • http://KatieAxelson.com/ Katie Axelson

      I’m preaching to myself here too, Tara. ;)

  • http://www.findingfruit.blogspot.com/ Jen

    I process when writing as well and often find myself being most honest in my writing. Since most of my life and writing is relational I do think I owe it to the people I care about most to actually talk to them before I hit publish.

    • http://KatieAxelson.com/ Katie Axelson

      Exactly! I submitted an article a few months back that I actually prayed would be rejected because publishing it meant I’d have to have a hard conversation with a friend before that piece went out into the world.

  • Lizzie L

    Yes, I often tell my online friends things before my family. I think I do this because I am afraid what my family will say or what they will think of me. Perhaps I should tell them first, but I don’t. My family is so critical about people and what they do that I think they would be the same way with me. I find it hard to tell them things. I do though, it just takes time of thinking about it and talking about it with other first.

    • http://KatieAxelson.com/ Katie Axelson

      Then maybe not a family member but maybe a friend.

  • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

    I’m with you. Only share when you are ready and when you feel others can benefit from your story.

    • http://KatieAxelson.com/ Katie Axelson

      Exactly. Thanks for stopping by, Skip.