Hi,
Wondering if it is safe (and normal) to journal on the web, as in journaling about your insecurities and struggles. Of course, it should be anonymised and what not. I have kept these thoughts to myself and I think I would feel just a bit better blurting it out.
Woops, just found the relavent section on here: 32-Bit Cafe.
I’ll follow what it says there, but still curious if other people have done something similar :)
It is absolutely normal. I also found very useful for me personally to read about other people struggles because it helps me put things into perspective. It’s something I think I will probably do more myself, writing about my inner thoughts.
As for the “is it safe” part, that’s hard to say. It really depends. It depends by who you are, what’s save for you, where you live, what your circumstances are. I personally had nothing but positive interactions in the 7 years I’ve been online with a personal blog but that’s just one data point. I’m sure other people had very different experiences.
I also think it depends what you plan to write about. We all know people start to be very aggressive if you write about sensitive topics. So it really depends.
That’s encouraging to hear. As you said, I’ll have to experiment and see what works for me. Sounds like it will be fun!
Getting into blogging has been nothing but positive for me personally so I hope you can find something useful in the practice.
When it comes to writing about personal struggles she’s someone I admire a lot.
Thank you! Just checked out the link and it was just a great experience all around. I have pretty high hopes I would benefit from this, even if not in the way we are talking about here, it will be a really project anyway :)
Look forward to see your new digital home then. Make sure to post a link when something is online. Or even your current one if you already have something :)
Nobody ever gave me shit for writing this.
And why would they, that’s a great post!
There are bigger assholes than me on the internet, and they don’t need a reason, or even a good excuse.
Honestly, if you’re a asshole, then we need more assholes like you on the web (:
Thank you sharing, it was a great read!
I would say no for the reason insecurities can be exploited by others online. I at least see the possibility of either:
So it’s best to keep that offline at least. You could still render the HTML but never upload it. If you really must blurt it out to someone, it should be specific people you can trust.
As much as I understand and I agree with these concerns I personally believe—and I have to believe—that the positives outweigh the negatives.
Insecurities can be exploited by others offline. Does that mean we should stop opening up to others and live solitary lives?
Quoted for emphasis:
But that pretty much means no-one online. And in doing so you lose the possibilty of making great random connections which is a shame in my opinion.
You can make connections with people online without writing self-centric blogs. It’s also harder for people to make inappropriate comments. (I say this as I used to come across moody blogs, try to comment, and accidentally say something inappropriate.) So this type of subject matter isn’t something I’m going to go near.
Fair enough, each person experience is different after all and I appreciate you sharing your perspective.
“To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”
To start, I feel that, on this small web level, one is unlikely to garner much attention. Secondly, if you’re speaking from a personal pov and are mindful of touchy topics, you’re unlikely to generate strong emotional responses / investment from people. Thirdly, some adversity is good. We should all be challenged and reflective. Even when that adversity is malicious, with harmful intent, I don’t believe that’s 100% a bad thing. It can be an opportunity to test our resolve, to improve ourselves (how we communicate or our inner balance or our empathy). An opportunity to reevaluate what’s important.
I agree with @manuelmoreale , this endeavor is a risk worth taking.
Another quote I like: “You cannot live your life in fear, or you will forsake the best parts of it.”
I journal about pretty personal stuff like my surgery and my disabilities - it honestly didn’t really occur to me to be cautious about it. 
Someone who I follow recently posted a blog post that feels relevant - Your blog is a vulnerability.. I think it’s very worthwhile to read her thoughts, even if you decide you don’t fully agree. I liked it!