Did I say too much?

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Thank you to Tammy for leading me to this story, Tiny Oily Halos which inspired me to not skip writing today.

I am an oversharer. Not the gruesome-details-of-a-medical-procedure type, more of a let-me-tell-you-my-life-story type. Actually, if you’ve read some of my previous blog posts, this might seem pretty obvious: my life is an open book.

“To reciprocate, to impress her with my own candor, I overshared too.” This is a line from Tiny Oily Halos. It stood out to me because I’ve found myself in the opposite predicament. Sometimes when I’m with someone who tends to keep their cards close to the vest, I’m inspired to be less open. Maybe I shouldn’t share all that stuff about my biological mom…

I try to keep certain details out of the conversation, hold onto some of my secrets. Inevitably, I fail, and I find myself talking about yet another aspect of my life that perhaps, could be embarrassing or incriminating even. I used to think this was a really positive trait of mine. My openness helped others feel comfortable, open up themselves. But recently, a therapist told me that sometimes oversharing keeps people from really knowing you. Mind blown. It makes sense though, and now I’ll be thinking about how to share for real.


7 responses to “Did I say too much?”

  1. Maureen Young Ingram Avatar

    I was drawn to this post because of the tickler you left on TWT; I am not an oversharer though I have several friends who are (and I love them dearly). I tend to agree that “sometimes oversharing keeps people from really knowing you” – I feel that this oversharing is sometimes a ‘wall’, this facade that I cannot cut through. You’ve given me something to think about!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. onathought Avatar

    Wow. That insight from your therapist … kinda blows my mind a bit. Now I need to talk to my therapist about this… I am definitely an oversharer…and an overthinker… so now I will overthink about my oversharing! Haha!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. arjeha Avatar

    I am the complete opposite. I tend to keep things to myself…not always a good thing to do. Like the others, that remark from your therapist got me thinking.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Erika Avatar

    Hmm, you have given me lots to think about here (I alternate between being an over and under sharer)- hard to get the balance right for me.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Elisabeth Ellington Avatar

    What an insight from the therapist! Wow. I have to work really hard not to be an oversharer and now I’ve probably swung to the other extreme and it’s hard to get anything out of me. But I’d prefer that extreme to having to live with the regret that I’ve overshared or talked too much! I enjoyed reading your post

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Trish Avatar
    Trish

    Authentic conversation…that con-prefix says it all: with (not me alone spilling my guts). I also am heartened to hear such wisdom from a therapist!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. franmcveigh Avatar

    wow . . . To be over and under . . . How to get it just Goldilocks right? I think we would need a huge amount of data points before we could make a decision either way.

    Liked by 1 person

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