Shh, don’t tell people that! What’ll they think? Keep more secrets, be mysterious, stop telling the world your problems.

Why do I overshare? Where is my shame? Why do I lay myself so bare?

From life advice, to relationship advice, and business advice, I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve been told to stifle myself. Being a closed book certainly works for others, so why do I find it so abhorrent? Why do I overshare so much?

Because when others shared stories of assaults they’d endured, I realized it wasn’t my fault.

Because when I lost a baby, I felt empty and alone. I couldn’t talk in person about my feelings so I wrote about them, and found a community that understood.

Because when I tell people about my daily frustrations, they feel better about having them too.

Because when we see the filtered photos and curated lives, we feel less-than and inferior, but that’s not reality.

Because I don’t want to believe I’m the only person struggling with being an adult, getting through the days, or parenting.

Because when my seemingly perfect marriage was falling apart, I wanted others to see reality isn’t always what we think.

Because when we acknowledge our feelings, we can work towards better days.

Because you need to know you’re not alone.

You need to know that there is a world on the other side of the screen that sees you, acknowledges you, and feels inspired by your daily bravery. There is courage in waking up each day and facing life, there really is. There is bravery in sharing our stories, and strength in the connections we make when we know someone else is out there, nodding their head in agreement.

I won’t stop oversharing. They can’t keep me quiet.

I hope it helps someone else open up, or at the very least, assures them they’re not alone.