Southern Belle in Training

Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle Blog || Est. 2012 || Virginia Beach, VA

March 11, 2021

Blogging FAQ: 3 Things I Won't Share On My Blog or The Internet.

     There are few topics in my life that are off-limits on the blog. Over the 8.5 years that I've been running Southern Belle in Training, I've talked in depth about dating and singleness as a Christian adult, the highs and lows of my faith, various struggles I've gone through about everything from transferring colleges sophomore year, an unexpected (and kind of negative) college study abroad experience, and homesickness during my first job and time living in Vermont. I've even touched on the painful experience of being physically assaulted and pressing charges when I was just 21/22. Basically- I'm kind of an open book, and I like it that way! I love being able to share my life and experiences authentically through the internet. It's cathartic to me, and it always makes me happy to know when a more personal post topic really touches someone that reads it. I always have a running list of more personal post ideas that I'd like to write about in future years, too.

     With all of that said- there will always be a few topics that I have never discussed on the blog or my social media, and don't plan to ever. Some for privacy reasons, some are a little too personal... they each have their reasons! I thought I would highlight those today- I'm curious where other bloggers and influencers stand on sharing things like these.








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3 Things I Won't Share On My Blog or The Internet:

     1. Personal family matters - Everyone has a unique family story, and I do believe that we can all learn and grow from hearing others' experiences. I admire bloggers or writers that are able to share candidly about their family lives past and present... but that just isn't me. While I do mention both my parents and share photos of them from time to time on the blog, that's about as in-depth as I'll ever get with family stuff on here. (I'm an only child so no siblings to share!) There are some experiences related to both my immediate and extended family that part of me wishes I could blog about someday... but I'll never be comfortable doing that, as these stories don't just involve myself. Some things are just better left private, and I think for me personally, my family business falls under that category. And that's okay! I have been blessed with two loving and supportive parents, and that is what you'll see me sharing on the blog. 

     2. Exterior of my home / my neighborhood - I get so nervous for other bloggers when I see them sharing details online about the specific neighborhood they live in, and even more nervous when people share exterior shots of their house or apartment building. NO WAY for me!! The internet can be a creepy place. I worry sometimes that I am already easy enough to track down since Charlottesville isn't that large of a city, and my workplace is public information to anyone (since I work in radio and all radio station addresses are super easy to find). There is no way that I would ever share what neighborhood or apartment complex I specifically live in, and if I ever buy a home someday you'll never catch me sharing an exterior shot. There is plenty of content I can safely share from inside the home!

     3. The car I drive - This is a similar logic to not sharing details about my home. It really freaks me out to think of everyone online knowing the exact type of car I drive with Virginia license plates. It does kind of bum me out sometimes that I don't share about my car since I absolutely love my leased vehicle that I got last year! I would've loved to do a compare and contrast blog post about all the cars I test drove last year and why I picked the specific make and model that I did. But- you'll never catch me sharing what I currently drive. I also never shared the make and model of my old car until I got the new one! I always enjoy reading when bloggers review their cars or share about car shopping... but I just wouldn't be comfortable reviewing my exact vehicle. (I did though write a lengthy blog post about my decision to lease versus buy last year!)

     This doesn't apply to the stage of life that I'm in right now, but I have always wondered about is that if I do have children someday and am still blogging and/or in radio, how comfortable I'd feel sharing them publicly? I do follow several bloggers that have children and share about them regularly, and I enjoy seeing their family updates. But I don't know how comfortable I'd be doing that for myself with my future family. Maybe I would share pictures of them but not of their faces? Maybe I'd share full photos but not share their names publicly? Maybe I'd be totally comfortable doing all of it? Maybe I'd only share them on my private (non-blog) social media accounts? I'm not sure. Again- I won't be in this stage of life for awhile, but it is something I think about from time to time in regards to my future.


    If you're also a blogger or content creator- are there any things that you've deemed off limits for you to share online? I'd love to hear!




     God Bless,


     xoxo Annaliese
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3 comments

  1. I completely agree with you. I know a local blogger who will share the exterior of her beautiful home and you can see the street numbers in photos. I am really careful especially with a baby. I also never post storys in real time when I am out in public. They're always delayed until not there anymore.

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  2. This is an interesting topic. I agree that it's so rewarding to write about a topic when someone can relate or just feel entertained but at the same time blogging can make you feel so vulnerable especially when sharing something so private. For me, homes or location is a no go. I also didn't intentionally plan on sharing my son on the blog. Interestingly enough, the reason I started my blog was to have something for me away from being a mom. But funny enough, my son gives me the inspiration to write most of my blog post. In regards to privacy, I don't share his face completely and that's why you see him in sunglasses. I also don't share his name and instead refer to him as my little guy or little man. Money, I won't talk about that either.

    Maureen | www.littlemisscasual.com

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  3. Well said! I feel the same way about all of these things - especially when it comes to sharing family/personal things. We hope to be parents and we've talked about not sharing photographs of our future child online if we're still blogging for a long time after that. It's scary what people do with photographs of children out there. Loved this post!

    ReplyDelete

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