How do I have meaningful conversations without oversharing?

5 comments

1. What are you defining as over sharing? Is it based on how they respond? Is it based on how you’re feeling after you share? I can probably be more helpful with a little more info

2. Weite down the topics / issues you feel you overshare. Maybe some issues that are okay also. That could help raise an inner alarm when you are in a deep conversation and help steer away.

3. By having a place to do your sharing where the people have agreed to listen to you.

   For me, I started to work on myself in a 12 step program called Adult Children of Alcoholics.

   But more recently, I have been a part of a men’s group.

   If you are a student, many schools have counselling available for free or cheap.

4. Use THEM as the template. If they share “a little bit,” then it’s okay for you to share similarly. Don’t go deeper than they do.

5. I overshare but after awhile it kinda catches up. I’ll share information to build a relationship. I will say that I have adult children and teens, that kind of thing.

   If you ask me more I’ll tell you the adults are men and the teens are girls and adopted.

   I am oversharing when I tell you they all love cats and one of my sons has 4 of them.

   Someone needs to stop me before I talk about how I love all the cats and am allergic to them…