Monday, February 13, 2012

Risky Business


A friend asked me recently, "Why would I put my personal thoughts and details of my life on the internet for all to see?"

I love and hate questions like this because they make me think deeply about my purpose for blogging. I was going to email my answer, but to my friends disgust (sorry!) I will blog my response.

As I thought about this, question, I realised that it takes a great deal of commitment, courage and confidence to reveal my inner  thoughts and feelings to others, even if they are mostly hoards of 'imaginary' internet friends.

There is nothing unusual about recording and publishing a persons biography. I think it takes guts to reveal your true self and continually question how you spend your time and your motives eg "why am I doing this?". These are difficult but necessary questions that for me, are made all the easier when I get them out of my head and onto the page. I've done this all my life. Often it is inconvenient to to share these thoughts with another. Not everyone cares to listen. Taking it one step further, as in the public arena somehow makes it more real, more important, more debatable. There is more chance of connecting with like-minded souls, and yes, more risk!

Not everyone would care to willingly  take the time to discover what it is they desire for their life, then work out what is possible, then put the ideas into a plan, then commit to the process AND keep an open, public record of how that process is managed on a weekly basis, including myself at times!
I do try to avoid publishing anything that I am ashamed of. I try to avoid publishing anything that may hurt another person or cause them shame. Clearly, we all have different ideas about what is considered to be private or public and I think it is often tied up with our traditions and culture and these need to be understood and respected. 

Of course, everyone has different reasons for publishing and these are some of mine. 
  1. Helps me to be more committed and responsible/accountable for the choices I make
  2. I love writing (maybe a book one day) and the idea that what I write may be of interest to others is a healthy buzz!
  3. Feedback from others is often encouraging and affirming and validates or examines my life direction 
  4. The need to share the inner journey of thoughts and feelings which can be an uncertain and often lonely road, with anyone who cares to engage is of great value and meaning to me
  5. As with any journey there is risk involved. I am willing to take that risk.

2 comments:

  1. Points B to D really resonate with me. I've just noticed that most of your questions reside in the general region of why do this? Why am I including such and such? It's made me realise that I tend to gravitate more towards the what line of questioning. What was the purpose? What did I learn? What can I do to blah blah blah and so on and so forth...

    love,
    Plenty of Apples (",) ox

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  2. I found that interesting and I'm gonna make that shift from Why to What? I think that will be helpful. Thanks my friend!

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