You know what I'm happy about today? My ability to use this blog to talk about life in a real way.
For most of my life I've felt like a singularly fucked up individual. Logically I knew that other people must be feeling lonely, useless, stupid or ill-equipped for life, but there was no way to tell if I knew any of those people because folks don't talk about things like that.
I certainly don't believe we should discuss everything with everyone all the time, but I do think a little selfless experience sharing (especially when that experience was negative) can help the sharer and the sharee.
When people feel alone they do lots of dumb things to themselves and others out of desperation. I talk about my experiences with depression, anxiety, loneliness, guilt, procrastination and fear not just to work through my own issues and get them off my chest and out of my mind, but so that somebody who feels like they have to keep crawling out of the same hole can read about me doing the same thing. And, hopefully, feel less alone and hopeless because of it.
In a small way, I feel like it's a public service to all the loners and losers in the world. Now that I think about it, so is spreading some aural cheer. Shall we?
If your blog is essentially a diary, how do you decide how much sharing to do?
4 comments:
How much is too much can be a tough call sometimes. I think I might share too much of my life while at the same time sharing almost nothing of my life (does that make sense?) I guess the best bet is to keep doing what feels right and hope that some one else gains from what you share.
I think when your blog is a non-professional diary, a life journey for instance, than you're allowed to go as far or as light as you want. Why have rules? Minus the understandable restraint of personal information for safety from the internet creepers, I think that consistent readers will know what to expect and appreciate it!
I do believe it is a public service to share your personal struggles with the world so that others may find comfort in knowing that they are not alone. It is very similar to why people write memoirs. Some do it to reconstruct there past and better understand it while others do it for the same reason you write your blog: to share with others, to sympathize, to let people know they are not alone, to let others see their struggle so they can realize their own. It's tough to put yourself out there but I really appreciate your ability to do so.
Jon: I know what you mean. Sometimes I hold something back but wonder, Will this story help someone else? Can someone else help me? But I think if the initial instinct is to keep something private, that's probably how it should stay.
Scott: Ha! Thank you! Maybe I'm not so doomed after all :)
Mental: That's true, I suppose. The regulars will know what you talk about and look forward to it.
MK: Thanks for that. I have come to think of what I do on this blog as one of my strong points as a writer; the ability to just tell the truth, even if it's weird or ugly.
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