Recently for my English class I wrote a narrative about my time during high school, and how I drastically changed (for the better) throughout my years there.

But, when I revisited that essay to edit it, I could barely get through it because I felt some sort of embarrassment for writing about my feelings and experiences during that time.

I just felt like they were too personal and I wasn't comfortable having another person, especially my professor read it.

I went to this professors office hours to go over my papers and how I could improve, and he told me that in order for my writing to really be powerful, I needed to really describe what happened instead of tip-toeing around the situations I was talking about my paper.

I told him that I just didn't know how to do that.

I didn't know how to be truly vulnerable with my experiences because in a way I hated who I used to be and trying to describe what I actually went through during those times was just something that was sort of hard for me to talk about.

But after leaving that conference I started to think about it more, and I knew he was right.

When people read something, they want to be able to "enjoy" it and connect with it.

If it's something that they've also gone through before, then they'll be more interested in reading more about it because then they'll think, hey, I wasn't the only one who had this problem growing up.

I know I like to read real and raw stories like that, so I can only assume a ton of people my age would enjoy that too, and it would especially be interesting for a professor to read what it was like for me to go through high school, sad details and all.

So my point is that it's okay to be vulnerable. It's okay to put yourself out there even if you're scared. It's okay to fully express your feelings because there is almost always going to be someone out in the world that can agree with you and relate to you.

That sparks a connection like no other and will give you an outlet to tell your truth.