I have a secret :: we go on vacation and tell no one.
We rarely post about vacations on social media; we don’t share our plans with family or friends. Our vacations are just that- ours!
Perhaps this isn’t the juicy bit of gossip you were expecting but the topic of privacy has been weighing on me lately.
Recently, a friend of mine posted her best tips and tricks for traveling on the cheap. Everyone wanted to know, she said, how she could afford to travel the world as a single mom. I bookmarked it; I tagged my husband. But I couldn’t help wonder…how is this anyone’s business?
In a world where over-sharing on social media is king, where do you draw the line?
Why we went private
To be straight to the point, our holidays became a point of contention and misunderstanding between our family members, friends, and even clients.
We have a blended family with steps, exes, and unavoidably, a load of drama. To say that our vacations of choice have inspired criticism and objections is putting it… politely.
I wish I could say that our vacations are a hot topic because we are world travelers with the most ‘gram-worthy photos to show for it. We aren’t wealthy people; very few exotic stamps grace our passports.
Truly, some people resent that we dared to visit Houston’s muddy bottom beach. And we didn’t camp but splurged on a two-bed Galveston motel for five people. Our youngest wasn’t allowed to visit for three months after that- and since we weren’t able to change custody, we changed how we make- and share- our plans.
On another occasion, we lost all signal and communications for a couple of hours while on a short “working” vacation. While we frantically searched for WiFi, our client thought we were just relaxing.
I can’t say I would have felt differently had I been on the other side, but after that experience, I changed my approach to how I shared my availability with others.
After all, no one can judge what they don’t know.
The Upside of {Social Media} Privacy
Perhaps “secret” is too strong a word. We tell at least one person where we are going, in case of emergencies. Custodial parents are informed when we go out of state. Our adventures are later-grammed. No show-y captions, no check-ins. Just a few nondescript photos.
Private is a better expression. We simply made the decision to share less- a lot less- both online and in real life.
I’m no stranger to social media cleanses and taking a break for the sake of my mental health but the benefits of this decision were greater than I ever thought.
I assumed we would have a little less drama from our extended families {and we have}. I did not expect that I would relish in our privacy; our furtive little trips.
Somehow, under-sharing vacation photos lead me to appreciating them even more. Time away is infinitely more enjoyable when you aren’t live-posting and checking for “likes”. I compare myself less, and enjoy myself more. Simple, but effective.
We set out to create more privacy and control over our family affairs, but we gained so much more.
Do you share your travel plans with family and friends? Tell us what you think!
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