Strategic silence to strategic sharing
Some of you may remember me from back in the day where I blogged about all the things. No ads, no monetization strategies, just personal sharing about whatever interested me from 1998 to around 2014.
Of course, once newer forms of social media took over, blogs became passé, but that’s not why I quit posting.
Other than the occasional Instagram post, I went on a full social blackout in 2020 after years of blogging and sharing the ins-and-outs of my life and massive projects:
- A cross-country move and first top tech job by age 18 – My Suburban Chaos era
- 60 lb. weight loss by 19 – My Simply Irresistible era
- Marriage by 21 and first house purchase by 23 – my J&D era
- Business start-up by 25 – my a3o Studios consulting era
- Complete historic house renovation by 29 – my Bungalowcious era
- Debt-free + paid off house and finance degree by 35; millionaire status by 36 – my DawnMoneyMaven era
On paper, so many accomplishments.
Yet I was bored with everything. Burnt out. Confused about how to figure out the next big project to start. To fill up the anxiety that got louder and more pervasive when things were too quiet. When there was nothing to do.
The anxiety that said I couldn’t just be still. I couldn’t just chill. That might mean I have no value. I’d be worthless.
But at the same time, with all the achievements of the stereotypical “Good Life”, the hustle and grind felt impossible to start again. I woke up every single day feeling like Groundhog Day.
So I moved to the beach, alone, in the middle of a global pandemic.
The things I never shared about started to boil to the surface. Maybe because there was finally a window of time to address them – all the types of things that are very much the true human experience – but also very much “none of your business.”
The shame of growing up a church kid, the chronic pain from being hit by a drunk driver, the best friends that moved or faded away, the pandemic communication cut-offs, a crumbling marriage turned to roommates situation… all the REAL things.
Inflection points. Expansion points. Breaking points.
How could I share any of that? TMI. It was too much. I started to wonder, if maybe I was too much, but also not quite enough … to share the painful stuff. Midlife crisis much?
Then my silence became strategic. My new project.
I went fully into hermit mode (which makes sense now that I know my Human Design). Untangling all the emotional balls of wires outside of the lens of social media felt necessary in many ways, but in hindsight, was also an easy excuse to stay stuck.
So over the past few years, I surrendered to deep diving into my life, testing and synthesizing to find what works, and turning a midlife crisis into a mind-blowingly, majestic midlife catharsis.
What I’ve discovered on this journey has been so much more than “too much”. So Extra and unbelievable to keep everything under wraps any longer.
Lightbulb moments popping off left, right and center. Too many to count.
A Lightbulb Journey
So now is the time to shift – to strategic sharing. To come back online, show up and share the Real Real Deal.
I’m gonna do it for the plot.
Dawniecakes, I can relate to so much of this as I struggle to figure out how I’m supposed to connect to the rest of my life after years of loneliness and trauma. It’s good to see you posting your journey. <3