I have an admission to make. For the past few years I have been exposing my SELF. It all started when I decided to write a concise weekly blog on topics that touch the lives of all of us. The decision to write candidly on these topics meant that I would have to risk exposing my SELF. If a conversation is to occur, somebody needs to start it.

Life is not meant to be lived in anonymous isolation. We need others and someone needs to start conversations we would all like to have. I was willing to expose my SELF to get the dialogue started.

With variations in our individual situations, we all have many of the same problems in life. Over the course of our lives we all go through disappointments, frustrations, losses, loneliness, and spurts of new hopes and dreams. However, we often do not share these with others. We need to have others get involved in talking honestly about them. There is safety in numbers and all participants will share in the benefits. It is beyond refreshing to discover that others have the same challenges and that they can help us.

The reasons for hiding our inner thoughts vary. We may belief that sharing will prove embarrassing and make us look weak. We may belief that nobody cares; not even a paid counselor. Finally, as a man, I often encounter other men who seem to see sharing as something real men just don’t do; we talk sports endlessly.

Now it is your turn. Unburden yourself by exposing your SELF and join others who benefit by sharing real life issues. You don’t have to write a blog to do it. You don’t even have to have answers to begin sharing.  Jump in. The water is fine.