Hit 10,000 views on a post about hiding my anxiety at work

I run a small shop and I've spent years pretending everything's fine when my brain is screaming. Last Tuesday I finally wrote a post in a private group about the panic attacks I hide before every big repair job. I got 10,000 views in three days, which is more than my actual business website gets in a month. It's weird because strangers connected with the exact thing I felt ashamed about, the fake smile I give customers while my hands shake. My regulars still see the calm version of me, but now I know a whole bunch of people saw the real one. Has anyone else had a random post about your hidden struggle blow up in a way that made you rethink what you share?

2 comments

2 Comments

riley_wood841mo ago

Funny how strangers can see the real you before the people you serve every day.

piperbailey1mo ago

Goodness, @riley_wood84, that hit me right in the gut. I had a similar moment last spring when a customer at the farmers market told me I looked tired and asked if I was okay, while my own family had no idea I was running on empty for weeks. Sometimes the people who don't owe us anything are the ones who actually pay attention.