Undersharing

“Our stories are not meant for everyone. Hearing them is a privilege, and we should always ask ourselves this before we share: ‘Who has earned the right to hear my story?’ If we have one or two people in our lives who can sit with us and hold space for our stories, and love us for our strengths and struggles, we are incredibly lucky. If we have a small group of friends, or family, who embraces our imperfections and vulnerabilities, and fills us with a sense of belonging, we are incredibly lucky.” ~Brené Brown

I recently faced a couple of challenges that I wasn’t comfortable sharing with others yet. As tempting as it was to seek out other opinions, or emotional comfort, I first needed to get a handle on those issues myself. As Dr. Brene Brown points out, it’s wise to confide carefully. Even in a social media culture that encourages oversharing, you’ll never regret saving your personal stories for a select audience. ~CL

Cranbrook Gardens photo by Cindy La Ferle