Not everything needs to be "content"
And we don't owe anyone an explanation of our creative lives and choices
We’re living in a time in which there is pressure to turn nearly all of our lived experiences into “content.” The idea that things must be constantly shared, narrated, shaped, and made consumable, rather than simply living and deciding what is for sharing and what is private.
And while some things are sacred, others lose meaning or simply don’t land if they’re explained too early in their unfolding.
Today, with or without naming the thing itself, write about why you’ve deliberately chosen not to share something. What has that protected or given you? What, if anything, has it cost you? Perhaps you kept a professional win to yourself because to share it might require performing gratitude when you know you busted your ass to get there. Or, maybe you experienced a loss and chose to keep it private because you didn’t want sympathy or to engage in discussion about it. Or, maybe you’re going through some shift in values or perception and haven’t shared anything about it because you’re still in the middle of the experience.
To be sure, we don’t owe anyone the details of our lives. And, while there is some level of visibility to be gained form sharing whatever you share, thoughtful consideration about what you do share and why can have a vastly different impact.
