Afraid what people will think?

Writers frequently say to me: “I want to write my story and truth, but what if people judge me? How do I write about other people without upsetting them? Is it even worth letting myself be seen?”

I always have the same answer:

Write freely now. Edit—and worry about the rest—later.

Why? The act of honoring your story, giving voice to your pain, and acknowledging your experiences is transformative.

I understand deeply the fear that people may judge, shame, or push you away—that you may lose connection, love, acceptance, and belonging.

But in my 15+ years of writing and sharing the truth about my life, what I’ve come to discover is that the opposite is true.

True belonging, full acceptance, and whole-hearted connection comes through allowing yourself to be seen, heard, and known. In doing so, you allow others to see themselves in your story and say, “I feel this way too.”

Your most honest writing is not only a healing salve for others, but perhaps even more importantly, it's often the medicine you need too.

You may never want to publish or share what you write and guess what? You don’t have to. BUT give yourself the permission to go there, on the page, and discover and reclaim lost or forgotten aspects of yourself. This process is healing, cathartic, and too important to dismiss.

It’s only later, when you’ve finished writing, that you can put on your editor hat, and ask:

Which details are essential to the story?

What do I want to keep for me and not share with others?

Do I need to change names or identifying details to protect people?

And so on.

But first, write for YOU — the whole, honest truth.