I talk to people about my experiences, on this website, in Facebook statuses, and in person. I don't really shy away from "taboo" subjects like infertility, young marriage, or faith. Some people may wonder why in the world would I place my entire life for people to see. It's a valid question. We live in a world where any information that we put out will probably never disappear. What I post now, my boss, me church, my mom's friends, or my great-aunts may read. This has the potential to seem a cry for attention, embarrassing, or awkward. I believe however that it's worth it to share my struggles, concerns, and stories.

I want to be authentic

I try to keep it real. I used to act a different way around different people. To some extent, I probably still do change my speaking pattern around some people. But I learned that one way or another, in this day of social media people are going to find out who I am when they're not around. I used to refine my language and topics more when I spoke to my friends from Ivy-League schools and speak more vulgar around my redneck friends, all so that I could fit in. It ain't gonna work. The truth is that while I do feel more comfortable addressing my academic and working-class friends in different ways, I shouldn't hide who I am. People, for example, are probably really annoyed that I speak about my infertility so often. I talk about it though because it's one of the biggest concerns that I'm facing right now. It is a part of my life that I am reminded of daily. There's no point in hiding it, because it is something that I am passionate about.

I want others to feel comfortable talking to me if they have or had the same issues or experiences.

You probably can't tell what someone is dealing or has dealt with based solely on his or her appearance. For example, I've had periods in my life where I struggled with situational depressive episodes. You can't really tell by looking at me. I can't tell if someone in my class is grieving a loved one, going through a miscarriage, has an alcohol problem, or just broke up with their boyfriend. Society has us wired into keeping our personal issues personal. And that's ok. But sometimes people feel so isolated and helpless. They don't know if the person next to them is a recovering addict, an ex-convict who turned his or her life around, or is thousands of dollars in debt. We sometimes think that no one understand what we're going through, or that other people have their lives perfectly put together. Often, that's not the case. I want to be someone that people can talk to. Even if I haven't been in their shoes with something -say an addiction- they will know that I have made myself vulnerable to them, and perhaps feel safe opening up to me.

I want to spread awareness

Maybe you're dealing with something that is stigmatized or that people don't even know exists. When I first told people about the possibility that I may have PCOS, most people had no idea what it was or how common it is. Or perhaps whatever you're involved with (good or bad) or going through is stigmatized. For example, I am a Methodist, but I was excited to have a conversation with a Mormon friend of mine, not for possible conversion but because there's a lot of stigma attached to her religion and I wanted to learn what they really believed. Although it can lead to information overload if done incorrectly, speaking to people on whatever it is can help educate people about your topic and confront misunderstandings.

So, that's why I like to be so open, and I encourage you to do the same! What do you think about this? Is it foolish and risky, or is it helpful? Leave a comment below on your opinion!