LBC Wise Counsel

Going quietly

August 7, 2024

There is a constant conundrum for introverts on social media. Some days all I see is the din of opinion, the puffery of self-promotion and a constant strident flow of effluent infused self-righteous outrage. It makes it very hard to want to stay. However, at times it is also an extraordinary place to enlighten, support and to share.

I am by nature private and shy. I feel uncomfortable being photographed, filmed or recorded, and I am always nervous, even now, before a presentation. The weight of valuing every precious second that I stand in front of an audience is sometimes overwhelming and always exhausting.

In so many ways my hope is not to be noticed and not to be remembered, but just to be able to help quietly and then move on. And yet, here I am, week after week writing down my thoughts for others to read like an old school pamphleteer in a rammed town square, ringing my bell and seeking attention. It’s really not me.

In my heart I know I am driven to help people to realise their potential and I am lucky enough to say that I love my work. I want to support, encourage, challenge and to offer some cover for those I help while they recover and renew. However, my internal tug-of-war, is that I have never wanted a personal profile or to put myself on a stage.

I find the very idea of the hired “guru” to be deeply unsettling. Sadly, however, it seems to me that social media is increasingly full of people relying on their modest celebrity as permission to comment in ever more strident and certain terms. At the same time, I notice that I have never felt less strident or more uncertain. It is therefore a noisy old place for someone like me and to be honest I think it is too noisy.

I love writing, but in part this is because my words are disconnected from me. I can say things that I hope will resonate and be helpful, but I want the words to be a simple gift from me to you and not to be projecting or proclaiming anything about me. I do not want to build a profile, and I do not want to monetise the sharing of thoughts and ideas, none of which are original to me in any event.

The unexpected kindness of strangers who have shared and commented on my posts has been a towering blessing throughout the last year, but I also fear I ask a lot of people who give such generous feedback. I imagine they think “O gawd, not another bloody blog”!

For all these reasons I have therefore decided to quietly allow my Twitter and Linked-in accounts to rest. I will continue to write, and I will continue to post my blogs on this website; but I will just not push them out on social media. The blogs can be found if people would like to look, but my words will not be jumping around in your timeline, arms thrust in the air shouting “me, me, me!”

Before I sign-off I would like to mention that quite soon we are starting a new adventure and we will be working again with all the amazing people who work with us at our events. I think it is going to be an extraordinary resource and I hope an important one too. It will be filled with love, kindness and care and may just be the most important thing we have ever done. I know therefore that it may seem a little odd to deny myself a social media space to tell people about something new, however I know in my heart that we will always connect to kindness and that if we keep our promise to care about the people we help, then we will always be heard.

Please continue to visit this website to read my blogs. Please give me a call or drop me a line at any time. Please come to our events when we can hold them again and please know that we will always offer a quiet place to listen and to help if we can.

Social media has been an extraordinary gift to the world in so many ways, but it is not for everyone and I know it is not for me. I hope we will always be able to connect, but as humans and not as avatars. I will always, always love to hear from you. Please take care. Please be kind. With love.

Paul xx

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