Do you ever think about the way you present yourself to the world?
We all have a public self and a private self. We put out into the world the things we want people to see, know, believe, understand. Then there are the things we keep private, secret, quiet.
I am a very public person. I’m all over social media, which is my choice. I put the information out about my life and my family that I want people to know. I am also a very private person. There are many things that few people know, if any, outside of my immediate family.
I think we’re all this way.
I am very honest, often to a fault. I also hold my tongue and don’t always say the things I’m thinking because I don’t want to hurt others.
By living within my public and private self, I often wonder how many people know the real me. They know the public me, the me who is loud, speaks out, shares moments of her life with people on social media. They don’t know the private me, the me who had and has stress, issues, fears, and problems that would weigh Atlas down.
I walk this fine line of being a contradiction – living between the two worlds.
I want to share more of my private self, but I’m very hesitant and cynical. I don’t feel like I can trust most people. Well, I can – I just don’t want to. I’ve opened up to people and have been badly burned. I don’t want my private business out there for the world to see.
I have lots of friends. I have lots of acquaintances. I have few people who know both my public and private self.
I wish I could be more trusting. I also don’t see the need, since I have a tight circle who I can always count on. Maybe I am really fine with things the way that they are.