Privacy

It feels like everyone’s life is on display. From the big wins to the messy personal stuff. Nothing’s private anymore. It’s almost like if you didn’t post it, it didn’t happen. But reals, not everything needs to be broadcasted. And that’s something not enough people actually understand. It’s completely okay to keep certain things to yourself. It’s okay to go through something and not upload it for the timeline to witness. Not everything you feel has to be posted.

Your feed isn’t your diary. And it’s not your therapist either. I get that sometimes it feels good to get stuff off your chest or have people respond to your story. We all want to feel heard and seen. But posting your personal struggles to a bunch of strangers? That doesn’t usually give you the support you actually need. Half the people viewing whatever you post don’t care. And the other half, some of them are just there for the drama. Not out of concern but curiosity. You’ll have people knowing the ins and outs of your life who wouldn’t even hold the door open for you if they saw you in person. 

I feel like, the people who always have something to say about their personal life online, the ones constantly venting and posting bare paragraphs and videos explaining what they’re going through… it’s usually not because they just love sharing. Most times, it feels like they don’t have anyone solid around them. Like their friends aren’t really present or their family just isn't emotionally available for them. Because if you’ve really got people who know you, who love you, who’ll pick up at 2am if you needed them, then why would your first instinct be to go online with it? Why is social media the first place you unload your pain and worries?

And this is what baffles me sometimes. Like you’ve got actual people in your life but instead of picking up the phone or going for a walk with one of them, you pick up your phone, type out or record something deep, and post it for everyone to see. Strangers. Mutuals. People who barely even engage with you unless it’s to gossip. It don’t make sense. But then again, maybe for some people, it’s never been normal to speak to someone who actually listens. So they start thinking that snapchat and instagram is the only outlet they have.

But the truth is, the feed can’t hold you. Comments don’t hug. Likes don’t fix things. Shares don’t solve anything. They just give you a momentary buzz, a little spike of “someone sees me.” But then it fades. And you’re left with the same emotions you started with.

The way I see it, you’ve got to know the difference between being heard and being seen. Because a lot of people are being seen when they post, but not many are truly being heard. You’re getting attention but not understanding. And it’s dangerous when you start confusing the two. Because now you think you’ve opened up, but you haven’t really processed anything.

Social media’s got its place. I’m not saying be a ghost or never share anything. But there’s a difference between openness and oversharing. Between being vulnerable and being performative. Is it because you need support? Or is it because silence feels too heavy and being seen, even by strangers, feels better than being unnoticed?

There’s something powerful about privacy. About knowing you’re going through something and choosing to deal with it quietly. It doesn’t make you weak or closed off. It just means you’re protecting your peace. And when you do need to talk, you’ve got people who actually matter to turn to. 

So yeah, post your wins, your vibes, your day-to-day stuff if you feel like it. But when it comes to certain personal things, the things that really matter to you, just remember that your peace isn’t for public consumption. Some things are meant to be felt, not posted. Some stories are for your people, not your story. And if you ain’t got those type of people around you, maybe that’s where the focus should be, getting a better set of friends. Because real life connection will always be better than any amount of engagement.