Lately, it seems like every single day someone who I know finds out about my blog. Now, EVERYONE knows, besides the people who I work with. I need to keep it that way for now…
I say that I’m no longer anonymous because all of my friends know, and because I am easy to search on Google. I’ve also started posting more and more pictures everyday. I also plan on sharing our engagement photos once those are ready. The engagement photos will be my first official photos released on my blog that show my face. I know, you guys cannot wait at all. The suspense is killing you!
I am completely joking of course 🙂 Also, sprinkled throughout this post are comments of what readers said in my last Should I still be anonymous post.
The other day, we were over at W’s friend’s house and his friend said “Hey Michelle, I heard you have some writing thing going on.” And also recently, someone ambushed me (of course I am using that term loosely!) and showed me my blog on their phone. ON THEIR PHONE! What was I supposed to say?
And then just last week, I received an email from a reader, and she was telling me that my blog is helpful. We then started talking back and forth and she actually went to the same high school as me, and she lives in the same town as me! Small world, right? I feel like I have nowhere to run now!
Everyone knows about my blog now. W’s parents asked me for my blog URL the other day, and my friends have found it all also. Probably doesn’t help that you can just type in “Michelle finance blog” and it’s on the first page!
I have W to blame for all of this.
He kept blabbing to everyone and everyone kept asking him for hints about my blog. Of course he gave enough hints and now everyone knows about it! Even though everyone knows, I honestly don’t think too many people read it. Not too many people have really brought up anything that I have talked about in a blog post.
Haha, but that is a good thing. I like not feeling like I am always hiding from everyone. Yes, I do not have any direct pictures of my face up yet, but I still want to be safe when it comes to my job. However, I am friends with many bloggers on Facebook and on my personal Instagram, so many of you already know what I look like. And most of you already know my last name.
I was anonymous in the beginning because I used my blog as a way to vent about the things going on in my life – the passing of my dad, the horrible things someone else in my family did, and so on. It was easy to talk about things on here, but now I’m moving past all of that, so it only seems normal to be public now.
Positives of being more public:
- I’m not as mysterious. I’ve heard a lot of people say that they would rather read a blog where the person is open about who they are. Well, this is something that I am working on. I can’t wait until I make the 100% freelancing switch and am then able to post awesome pictures of myself everyday 😛
- I don’t feel like I’m hiding from my friends and family. This is number one on my list. I felt like I was living a double life for so long. Now, I talk about my blog so often that they are probably annoyed.
- It’s more fun! And it’s easier to blog publicly. I’m no longer trying to hide things that could potentially reveal who I am.
Risks of being public with my blog:
- Financials are now public. Do I really want to post our net worth on my blog anymore? What about my extra income updates and things about our jobs?
- Certain things that I’ve said about my family and the situations that I gone through have been edited. I would hate for you-know-who to see what I’ve written. Even though she is in the wrong and has done absolutely horrible things to me, and I am in the right, I would hate to go down that direction and open everything back up. Right now, I am just moving on going forward in life…
- Nothing is private. This is a given. Everyone will know everything about my life now!
- Of course, there is always the risk that my work will find my blog and read my passion or money post. That would be an awkward conversation…
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I am still semi anonymous, and will eventually come out of the closet completely. I would be more concerned about coming out of the closet if I shared my complete income and networth. I’ve just seen a lot of fraud happen in my industry, so I am a bit cautious.
Yeah I’m not sure what I will do when I switch to 100% freelancing and all of my income is my “extra income.”
Sweet! I’ve just received my free Riot Points!
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We’re still anonymous, mostly. Actually we did “come out” to Mr. PoP’s parents a couple of weeks ago through a weird series of events. It was strange at first, but now I don’t really think about it.
Yeah, I don’t really think about it either. I always forget that everyone seems to know now!
I’m public and I have been from the get-go. I think when you’re public you just have to be careful about what you say (especially if you have a 9-5 job). I only write about things I would say in public social media anyway, but it’s also why I tend to avoid the posts about how much money I make on the side and whatnot.
True. This is something that I need to think about.
My blog is not anonymous, and I have told my family about it. Do they read it? Not that I know of. To them, it is my hobby of sorts. And that may be true. But I love to blog and will continue. In fact, I will be dedicating more time and effort to both my blogs ( Happy Girl Thrift) . I am who I am and I hope I inspire and motivate others.
This is great Lisa! I don’t think anyone actually reads mine either.
It is exhausting to try to stay hidden! I felt like I was always worrying.
I’m pseudo-anonymous. I say pseudo because I’m trying to be anonymous so I can talk about money, but my face is all over my blog, and I use my real name – and Desi is a pretty unique name 🙂 I have the same concerns as you about being public – if my friends know everything about my money, I worry they’d be judgey about how I choose to spend it (as it is I get a lot of people asking why I’m trying to pay my student loans back so aggressively.) I’m happy for you though and super excited to see engagement pictures!
The only thing I don’t do is put direct pictures on my blog. However, a lot of readers think that this isn’t my real name. Haha if only I were that clever! Then no one would have found my blog.
Congratulations on coming out of the closet!!! I didn’t mind when we were semi-anonymous because I felt like I could say anything that I wanted. Now that I’m public, it’s fine too but I’m slightly more careful not to offend everyone I know. Slightly.
Hahaha yes same here!
I hated it when I was blogging anonymously. I always felt like I had to hide tons of facts about myself (I was anonymous because I had a non-compete….and although I would say my blog doesn’t compete, it was a financial company, so I needed to just take precautions). Now everyone knows I have a blog and they visit sometimes….but there wasn’t the “wow!” factor that I thought there would be. I’m lucky that I have pretty cool, accepting friends.
I need to take precautions since I work at a financial company also.
We are more or less public. The few people we did share with shared with others, then it became gossip, and now most everyone knows our situation. We don’t care too terribly much, because we know we are helping others, and that trumps embarrassment or shame. 🙂
Your blog is awesome!
I’m so happy being anonymous that I just don’t know if I’ll ever completely come out, unless it’s on a different blog altogether. You gotta do what works for you!
I agree!
I was always hiding behind my debt, ashamed. I started my blog publicly after finding the motivation to stop hiding, to “let it all hang out!”
Stop hiding! 🙂
I am public, but I did that because I have been public on the web for over 10 years. People can find old work, old blogs and anything they want. I don’t really care about being anonymous, but it doesn’t bother me if people are.
True 🙂
There are a couple people in our life that know we have a blog, and even fewer actually know the URL. They haven’t mentioned anything about it since we originally brought it up, so I’m assuming they don’t read it. Which is fine.
Same here Kyle. I was worried people would be reading it like crazy, but they haven’t. Or at least I don’t think they have.
I’m only semi-public. The Mr. obviously knows about it but doesn’t actually read it, haha. My sister, sister-in-law, and cousin-in-law might occasionally read it, but otherwise nobody I’m related to reads it. And I don’t share it with anyone at work.
I’m not sure if W reads it. He says he does…
I’ve always been public but I don’t blatently share my blog with my friends and family. However, I just had a job interview where they had read my blog prior to the interview (it wasn’t on my resume) and the interview consisted of a lot of questions about my blog. Fortunately, they were impressed but it definitely caught me off guard! My blog is certainly small enough that I forget anyone besides my Godmother reads it! Enjoy the freedom that comes with being public!
Wow that’s crazy!
This is a common mistake people make. Employers make a thorough search of the web for any information about you that could make them question whether you would be a good fit for their company. Some articles I’ve read say that they ask interviewees for their FaceBook password or ask them to log on during the interview. I think that’s wrong, but hey, that’s what’s going on.
It’s critical to keep that front of mind when posting anything anywhere online. Even if you don’t want to work for Corporate America and want to freelance or be a public speaker instead, web eyes are watching and what you do/say online can be used to your disadvantage.
Sorry for being such a downer but it’s a really important point you bring up, Katie!
I agree Ree!