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Mallory Nicole's avatar

I relate to ALL OF THIS! Even down to the journaling as if someone might read it. I just made my substack account last week and an instagram to FINALLY start sharing stuff. Its so so scary. Thank u for sharing!! Its as if i was reading my own thoughts

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

So glad! Congrats on starting your substack & the IG acc - excited to read your writing and support :)

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Mallory Nicole's avatar

Thank you so much!! Excited to see more of your posts as well. Such a talent!

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Thank you so much!! ❤️

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Zavia's avatar

I recently fell down a hole of trying to "niche" down and write about things that were popular. And even when I wrote about myself, I was censoring portions of myself to seem more professional than what I actually was. Of course this led me to having what I thought was writers block, but what was really me blocking myself from what made me passionate about writing in the first place. Thank you for reminding how important it is to be vulnerable when writing.

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Yes! It’s so easy to fall down this hole and stifle your creativity without meaning to - I hope you start writing more honestly and find it fulfilling <3

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shambhavi's avatar

Such a well put and relatable article. It is really scary to start expressing yourself at first, hoping to become more open of a person than now soon :)

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Thank you Sammy! Always hoping to become more open as well :)

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lyza's avatar

I've almost always written my journals behind some veil of half of what my honest self is. maybe it's the cautious part of me? the looming shadow that maybe somehow someone would accidentally read what I've spilled on paper. it forced me to write as if i'm hiding things to myself. eventually, it all felt fake

funny how i saw this right after trying to write publicly -- connect with people, get to read/hear other people's thoughts and ponders. then like clay, or sand, or puzzle pieces you just get to know yourself through those connections. (does that make sense? hahaha)

i learned that i'm most honest in conversations with my closest friends. whether they agree or not, judge me or not, i can be my truest self with them. at some point after that, i found myself writing letter-like messages to them whenever i strongly feel about something. it felt rewarding to hear back, to feel accepted in a way? its a weird personal validation that i don't get from myself -- i need to work on that.

i very much relate to all of this. contemplating on posing on ig or not is a battle i'm still on... i guess outside my closest friends, i trust strangers more. friends and acquaintances are wild cards i'm terrified to flip over. but who knows? maybe a sudden urge of confidence would hit that post now, someday.

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Thank you, love this comment <3

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Shelby's avatar

I love the way you write! and this topic in general, so relatable

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Thank you so much!! ❤️

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Leticia's avatar

This post reminded me the song sincerity is scary - "and why would you believe you could control how you're perceived when at your best, you're intermediately versed in your own feelings?" i always think about it when i quit writing or publishing something again for the 5th year in a row

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Aamena's avatar

omg could not have quoted a more apt lyric

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Cornelia Filippa Vámosi's avatar

this is so well-put! I finally opened my substance with the intention of getting out of this habit, thank you so much for describing it all so clearly <33

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

💙💙💙

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Kiara's avatar

This was beautiful. I've never felt so seen. Please keep writing.

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Thank you 🥺🥺🥺

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Jtay's avatar

I love this. Thanks for sharing

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Thank you for reading!!

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Ashley's avatar

this is the first post I have read from this page, and my goodness am I glad it is!

the perception of my expression is definitely something I ponder over... a little too much, perhaps.

I just recently created a substack account and started sharing it with others. While it is a scary process, I have never felt more free and expressive than I do now. Substack has a space on this platform to put yourself out there, and I cannot wait to keep growing and learning!

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

ah thank you for reading!! excited to read your writing! 💌💌

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Aamena's avatar

you have stayed true to your statement and have managed to come across absolutely honest, vulnerable and super relatable. thank you for this reminder

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Ah thank you!! 💜

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Rayda's avatar

Wow just wow 🤯 I can’t believe I missed reading this one. I know I have disappeared but it was for personal reasons ☹️I am very happy that more people have found your writings Eri and obviously love it as much as I do😍. Great one Erifili and I feel that I know you a little bit more.. You know this is really relatable and it was always on my mind. When I share something I ask myself did I share too much, am I an oversharer 🤷‍♀️ or did I ask a personal question that is non of my business 🤦‍♀️

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Hahah exactly, I’m glad you relate!! Thank you 🥹 it was crazy to see this post get so much traction, means the world really!

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Rayda's avatar

It was just a matter of time until your posts and your newsletter go viral. You are really talented Eri. You are a good writer. For me, I love the way you express your thoughts. Wish you more success Eri💪

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Ayushi Singh's avatar

You just have given me the courage to write more openly as I was struggling for topics to write.

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Jillian's avatar

Yes. This. I almost delete every single post right after I hit the publish button 🥴

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Universal writer experience 🥲

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Jenni Johnson's avatar

"there’s only so much good hiding that can be done behind words"

Perfect way to describe the ever changing balance beam of explicitness. Bravo.

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Erifili Gounari's avatar

Thank you so much!

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Pink Ass Floyd's avatar

Really good piece on a topic I have been thinking about a lot lately. Nothing is 100% private on the net, I know, but thank god for the freedom to choose nicknames. I also lowkey feel jealous of those who can write under their own name, the audacity :)

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