Why You Should Keep Your Relationship Private, Not Secret
Yes, social media is exactly what its name suggests: social. But there are some perks to not oversharing.
pixabay via Canva By Natalie Trznadel
Social media is ever present these days.
Chances are that everyone reading this has at least one social media account, whether they post on it or not. And one of the things that people love to post the most is their romantic relationships.
From sweet photos to long quotes about how they’ve met, people in love tend to share everything about their significant other on their social media accounts.
It’s very common and perfectly OK. But some people take it to the extreme, sharing every single moment between their partner and them. And I think that’s doing more harm than good to the relationship.
I firmly believe that a healthy relationship can only succeed when it’s private but not secret.
You can post your partner online all you want. But the minute you overshare your personal details, daily activities, and disagreements, you’re inviting others into a relationship that should only be between two people.
You’re allowing strangers to give their opinion and insight into something they know nothing about, but think they do, based on your online posts. You’re also turning your relationship into a commodity, something that can be shared for the enjoyment of others. And that diminishes its beauty.
Yes, social media is exactly what its name suggests: social. But there are some perks to not oversharing.
Not posting every single detail of your relationship online allows you to keep some aspects of your love between you and your partner. It feels more special when it’s outside of other people’s reach and makes it more personal.
When you’re not taking all those perfectly choreographed photos for Instagram, you can also stay in the moment with your loved one. You can focus solely on them and forget the world around you.
This creates an extra sense of intimacy between the two of you. And, of course, you don’t have to deal with other people’s opinions on your life choices.
And this is a great win in the day and age of people loving to get into other people’s business.
On the other hand, completely hiding your relationship from social media can have the opposite effect.
It can make your partner question whether you’re ashamed of them, unsure of the relationship, or trying to hide them from someone in their lives. This can create distrust between you and your partner, especially if you regularly post online.
So, just to be clear: I’m not saying you shouldn’t post your significant other online. If that’s what you enjoy, you should definitely do it.
That’s what social media is for — sharing your thoughts, experiences, and lives with others. If posting photos with your partner makes you both happy, you shouldn’t avoid doing that. Just make sure you keep some parts of your relationship private.
Remember that not everyone is entitled to know about your life. And by avoiding oversharing on social media, as well as in real life, you also prevent people from having an opinion on something they only see online.
So, how about we all keep a little mystery? After all, not everything is meant to be shared online.
Natalie Trznadel is a photographer, traveler, and writer and editor for Unwritten. Her work has appeared on Thought Catalog, Unwritten, and YourTango, focusing on lifestyle and relationship topics.