WHEN you write your story, it becomes an open book. People will know you but only that part of you you want to share. Many times, it’s a decision you are prepared for. You reveal yourself to the world.
You simply write your story and it makes sense. You know who you are and why you matter.
We have notable autobiographies, such as Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen, a well-known American singer from the 1970s who continues to perform concerts today.
He spent seven years writing about his struggles on and off the stage, as well as his triumphs, and the book was described as “an anthem for wanting to escape the weight and pressure of life.”
The late Miriam Defensor-Santiago wrote many books, and one of them was Inventing Myself: An Autobiography. She gave an insight about herself before she rose to national prominence.
If not a book, we can write an essay chronicling the significant events, reflections, and emotions throughout the various stages of our lives.
It is something intentional; something we want to share. We disclose that part of us because we simply want others to learn from our experiences and ideas.
However, there is one that occasionally slips through our grasp. Our posts on social media.
Whether we like it or not, our posts become pieces of our autobiography. What we post reflects who we are, what we do, and what we are capable of.
Without even recognizing it, or if we don't think about it at all, we are writing our story one day or one post at a time. If one interested person piles up our posts, it can be turned into a biography.
Similarly, the pictures we post tell a story. Through the pictures, our private lives are under scrutiny.
Without words, the pictures we post tell their own stories. The only issue wit h pictures is that each person interprets them differently. People study our faces, the people we are with, and the places we've been to, and we no longer have control over how they perceive us.
We become an open book unintentionally. And then at one moment, we rant when we read comments or hear remarks that contradict our expectations. Worse, we complain about why others download our photos and become a “trending” topic.
We write our stories in many ways. Isn't it wonderful to leave behind one insightful and beautiful story that others will remember?
Be an open book that readers would look forward to with joyful anticipation. It can happen. Write your story well.