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Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
This is an iHeart podcast.
Jay Shetty
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Cal Penn / Ed Helms (advertisement voices)
Sometimes you have to sit back and you have to think before you speak.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yopper's regret. It's a real thing. Sometimes I just. I'll spill my deepest, darkest secrets just because I want to keep the conversation going. Damn, I did not need to share that much information.
Cal Penn / Ed Helms (advertisement voices)
Sometimes you have to sit back.
Jay Shetty
I was always told in the monastery that when you share something before it's complete, that idea loses 50% of its value.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
You know when something's like at the top of your heart, it's like stuck at the top of your throat and all you're waiting to do is burst out and talk about it.
Jay Shetty
I find it really inspiring when someone's opening their heart.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Even if someone was vlogging for 24 hours a day, even if someone was telling you every moment that they were moving you can't know their heart and you can't know their mind.
Jay Shetty
I really don't share anything. To try and get someone to believe I'm anything.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
I've just come to the conclusion that no one will ever. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to this week's episode of onpap. I wish we had a name for it.
Jay Shetty
Yeah, but we don't.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Welcome back to this week's episode of Conversations with Radhi. On On Purpose, we have been having these wonderful discussions.
Jay Shetty
That's not the official name.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
That's not the official name. But we have been having these wonderful conversations based on things our friends have told us, things we've been reading, listening to. And we realized that these conversations are actually really useful to maybe share with people. Me and Jay have them often when we're on car journeys together, traveling, and one. It's helped create more depth in our conversation. But also some of the stuff we come out with is pretty good in them. So I thought, let's share it. Well, I didn't think Jay thought, let's share it with the world. On a fourth episode, a week of On Purpose. Over to you, Jay.
Jay Shetty
Why we suddenly switched to news anchor.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
I know. News anchor. It's hard not to when you've got a mic in front of you.
Jay Shetty
Is it. Is that what you feel like? Do you feel like a news anchor.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Today on today's weather? Is. Can you just start?
Jay Shetty
All right. Okay. So as you were talking about what we want to share, today's topic is all about over sharing. Are we oversharing online? Are we oversharing with our friends? What is too much? What is just enough? What do we do with it? Because it feels like we don't know who to share our life with, how much of our life to share, where to share it, and let's dive in.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
It's so true. I really struggle. Well, you said online. I really struggle with the online sharing situation because on one hand, people want to experience your personality, and especially as someone who is sharing a lot of content online, you also want people to feel like they know your life because otherwise you're just sharing little minuscule parts of it, the best parts, which people don't want to see anymore. They also want to see the pain. But then when I sometimes share that, I'm crying. I get messages that, why are you always sharing that you're sad? Like, I don't want to be sad with you. And so it's such an interesting message. Oh, yeah, I do. I get like, oh, your life must be so hard it's, you know, if you do share that you're upset, there's always somebody or people who think you've got no reason to be sad, so why are you crying?
Jay Shetty
Wow.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
And so I think there's a really difficult balance between. I always used to say, I don't want to share the negative parts of life because there's enough negativity in the world. And I'd rather share even if I am feeling a certain way. I'd rather share even if I have an ounce of happiness. Let me share that online rather than sharing sadness with people. Because energy is so contagious that if someone comes online, they're already having a bad day. The last thing I want is to make their day worse. But I think it was so interesting because I was speaking to my friend about this. She's going through probably one of the most difficult times in her life right now, going through a situation that she never expected herself to be in, and she was really struggling with it. You know, when something's like, at the top of your heart, it's like stuck at the top of your throat, and all you're waiting to do is burst out and talk about it because it's so prominent inside of you. And so what she started doing was, she had told me, and then she started spending time with people, and we had said, maybe you shouldn't speak about this to other people. But when she ended up being around people too much, she would end up blurting it out or sharing it. And I had a conversation with her about how it's so important to protect things that, one, if you're unsure about, or two, that are really difficult because a lot of the time, people don't necessarily have the best desires for you. There are very few people in this world who actually have deep desire for you to be happy. And so when you end up sharing certain things or oversharing things, I think it leaks the same energy of, one, the situation gets made bigger because you're constantly speaking about it, and therefore, even if it was painful, it becomes even more painful. Or two, there's this idea in, like, Ayurveda, and I think you've spoken about this as well, where when you share too much, you're just leaking energy out of that one thing and you talk about this. I'd love for you to share this about when things haven't happened yet and then sharing them before things have happened and the leaking of energy that happens in that. But I was speaking to her about it, and I do believe that sometimes Oversharing or not, not sharing to the right people can be really detrimental to what. Whatever it is that you're talking about.
Jay Shetty
Yeah, I think it all comes down. I think the world will talk about some things. We call them oversharing because we want to censor it. Sometimes people think things are oversharing because they're overly emotional. I think we have to look back at how this all started. The online world was a place people put up pictures, they put up food, they put up dances. All of a sudden, people started sharing highlight reels. And that's what we did. We shared our best moments. People then called that out and said, we want to see the truth. And people started sharing vulnerable things. Vulnerability, which is actually quite an intimate, personal thing, became a very public thing.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Right.
Jay Shetty
And then what's happened is vulnerability, in my opinion, has become performative sometimes. Not always. Not always. Sometimes. And so now when someone's being overly vulnerable, and I'm vulnerable online, too, it's really hard to get a gauge as to what's right or wrong or where you stand on it. And it all comes down to the individual and their intention. If I ever share vulnerably online, it's because I believe there's a lesson, there's a guiding moment, there's a teaching moment. There's something I've gained that I want to share with it. That's when I choose to do that. I have a. I have a boundary around it. I have a way of thinking about when and why I want to be vulnerable. I think people who listen to my podcast regularly do understand who I am as a person.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
That's a good assessment, though. Go on what you just said. A good assessment of knowing whether you should be vulnerable or not. What is the reason behind you being vulnerable online? What is the reason you're sharing yourself crying? What is the reason you're sharing this difficult thing that happened? Is it because you want someone to be able to relate to it, be better?
Jay Shetty
Which is beautiful.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Is it because you want attention? Is it because you want sympathy? Like being really clear about where your vulnerability is coming from? That's a really great place of assessment. Sorry to cut you off, but I.
Jay Shetty
No, no, no. I'm so glad you did. No, you should know. I think it's better when we're doing that. There was this. You just said something that hit this. Dr. Christopher Han said, the more people tend to present about themselves, the less sympathy they get. When things go wrong, people assume they brought it on themselves. And oversharing can lead to judgment Instead of empathy online especially. And so I agree that if I was to ever cry online, I have cried in interviews before, which has been very natural. But if I was ever to cry online to share a pain point, it would be because I think it could help someone, or it's because I would hope someone would be able to connect to it and not feel alone. That would be my intention. Now, I'm not saying that's perfect. I'm not saying that's the best or the right thing to do. That's just how I see it.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
No, I agree.
Jay Shetty
But if I wanted to cry and just break down, I would just call you.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yeah, exactly right.
Jay Shetty
Or talk to one of my friends, because that's where I think it will be held the best.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
I remember when I started a really good cry. I started seeing all these pictures or started becoming more conscious of the fact that we take so many pictures laughing, but we never take pictures of ourselves crying. And I remember starting to collect these pictures of whenever I was upset or that I'd sent to my friend or I spoke to my. My friend was going through a difficult time, and she was like, I'm so upset right now, and I don't feel like posting anything online. I was like, send me a picture of you crying. Like, send me a picture of what's actually happening in this real moment. And she always repeats it back to me because now she says that she documents and takes pictures of. Of every emotion that she's feeling. And whenever. I now share. I share a lot of pictures of me crying online now. Just because I also want that to be normalized. Of. Yes, of course, it would be crazy if I was crying and the next second I'm taking a selfie and I'm smiling like, that's actually a borderline psychotic. And so I. I fe. The necessity of sharing the fact that you are upset can be normalized. Because if people. If we're trying to create an open platform or a place where people can be themselves online, there has to be that ability of not having to switch it up to a smile straight away.
Jay Shetty
Yeah, I think for you, at least. And you can correct me if I'm wrong, there was a feeling of when people are like, oh, you're always happy. And you kind of wanted to help people understand that no one in the world is always happy, which I think is a great message and is true and people need to hear. And that was. You know, that's an important thing. And obviously a really good cry is based on that, is the idea that you get that ability to share your emotions. But what's really interesting is that sociologist Ben Agar says that people often reveal more of their inner feelings, opinions and sexuality online than they would in person or even over the phone. And I think that's actually because in some cases, it's easier to be yourself with strangers than it is with the people that know you best. Because the people that know you best, when you share your emotions that way, then they're like, wait a minute, you're not like this. Wait, why are you doing this? What's going on here? Whereas when you share it online, you kind of sometimes feel heard and seen where a stranger goes, I feel the same way. Thank you for sharing that. And so I don't think it's fair for anyone to say, oh, you shouldn't share how you feel online, because that may be where you feel safest for some people in an interesting way.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Can you talk about what you've always shared with me, the oversharing thing I was saying about the protecting, before you speak, things that haven't happened?
Jay Shetty
Yeah. This is a spiritual principle. I'm writing about it in my third book right now, actually. And it's this idea that I was always told in the monastery that when you share something before it's complete, that idea lose its 50% of its value.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Wow.
Jay Shetty
And actually you lose the energy and the discipline to maybe even carry it through. And so often when you're excited about something, you just blurt it out and then you never get around to doing it, because in some cases, you've already enjoyed the moment of sharing the success of it, and you've already gained the validation for it, and so you don't feel it anymore. Whereas when you keep something private and you build it and then you put it out into the world, it has a much better reaction for you as well, because you used all that energy to complete the task.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yes.
Jay Shetty
And that's what it's all about. It's not about whether it gets validation or praise. It's about, are you losing energy by talking about this thing to everyone? And so the way I've changed it is I talk to people who can actually give me insight or impact on that thing. So if someone can give me an idea, someone can help me with it, I'll share it with them. But if they can't, then I probably won't.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yeah.
Jay Shetty
And I found that to be true for me, and it's really helped me in my life. I like building things in private and then launching them in public than Talking about something in public forever and then putting it out there. And I may not even get around putting it out there.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
There's this weird line between, like, telling people things for accountability and then oversharing. Because sometimes you want to tell people that I'm trying to get to this goal. And, you know, I'm telling you because I really want to make sure I get there. But then I have, you know, I completely relate to the telling everybody everything. And then you kind of lose the energy or the will to even get there because you've already. They said that you enjoy the success in your mind already. So it's almost like your mind doesn't know the difference between actually actually completing something and when you're talking about it, because the same hormones or the same chemicals are released in your br. So when you've already technically succeeded by talking about it, you have less motivation to complete it afterwards.
Jay Shetty
Yes.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
So that's.
Jay Shetty
I guess, exactly.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yeah. And that's interesting. I actually read something. I actually came across this, I think, this morning on Instagram, and I'd saved it. Yeah. It says why oversharing drains your aura, according to Ayurveda. And he said if you ever felt off after a deep shot online or with someone who didn't feel safe, Ayurveda says it's your aura and your energetic boundary getting weakened. And so it basically talks about how when you end up sharing sacred parts of yourself with people who haven't earned it, or whether you're venting too much on social media or explaining your life constantly, or seeking constant external validation, the fact is that every single word carries intentionality. And when you end up sharing words over and over again, they lose their intentionality, they lose their power, they lose their energy. And that it scatters your energy all over the place. Rather than being focused on trying to actually fix the problem, it just scatters you. But I. And I have noticed that. I do think that there's this power of when you end up talking about things too much, it drains you and it drains the problem too. Or it drains the excitement of something. It really is a draining practice to continuously keep talking. But on the other hand, I have noticed that when you're in social situations, I used to do this to try and fill gaps. I would overshare things and I would talk about things unnecessarily or say things that really don't need to be talked about in this situation, but to try and create a closeness. And that's why oversharing is sometimes used in between people is let me tell you everything about my life. So we feel close straight away. It's like a false closeness that you can create and a way to show, a way to make people trust you. Because I'm going to tell you all, I'm an open book. I'm going to tell you everything about my life. One, because hopefully it makes you like me more. Two, because now you can be vulnerable with me. And three, now it makes you feel like you're my best friend. And it creates this connection as fast as possible. But I think it's really important to know when to share things and who to share things with, because if they're not ready for it and if they don't know you well enough, it's so much harder to receive that information.
Jay Shetty
Yeah. And I love that point. And I think that you actually end up being more confused because you've now told 30 people.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yeah.
Jay Shetty
So a lot of people now I think you have a group chat and you tell 30 people who you're dating what they said to you, and you're saying, what should I say back?
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yeah.
Jay Shetty
And now you ask 30 people, how are you going to process 30 people's backgrounds, walks of life, Advice, insight. No wonder you feel lost and confused, because you're asking 30 people in the group chat how to respond, and then you're asking someone else when you meet them. And then exactly what you said about draining the problem. And I think one of the biggest things with oversharing now, though, is that it's also different on different platforms and so on Instagram and TikTok, because it's actually generally your face and your name. It's different where I know a lot of people who find people sharing their stories of miscarriages, IVF breakups on Reddit is actually really helpful for them because they're reading about other people's anonymous experiences. And there's something we get from anonymous oversharing, because the person can tell everything about their life because it's not their name.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
It feels a bit more authentic, I guess, as well, because you know that they're not doing it for themselves. They're sharing anonymously, which means that there must be some sort of truth to it.
Jay Shetty
Yeah. And that they're being totally themselves because they don't have anything to gain. And so many people can turn to that and be like, oh, my God, that's exactly what I'm going through, and that's exactly what I'm experiencing. And I think that is the same even for someone on Instagram who's going through it. Like, I follow plenty of people who are sharing their healing journeys, whether it's their health, whether it's a challenge they've went through. I find it so inspiring. So I rarely see something as oversharing. From a consumer point of view. I find it really inspiring when someone's opening their heart, and I find it really amazing for the world that people can do that. I think it only makes the person who's sharing happy if their intention is not attention and validation. That's how I look at it. When I see someone, I see bravery, I see courage, I see a big heart. But for them, it will only fulfill them if it's done from the intention of I want to serve, I want to help, I want to support, I want to share. But I'm not doing it for attention and validation.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Do you think that, you know, we talk about this a lot where you really have to be careful about who you tell what to. And in that sense, we don't talk about that many wins that we have with too many people or even pain points, even about a relationship. You know, there are certain things that you keep private versus sharing it with people or being really mindful about who you share what with. Do you think other people's energy can affect the things that you are thinking about or doing in your life? If you share it with the wrong people?
Jay Shetty
Yeah. I don't think it's some sort of magic hocus pocus thing. I think it's truly just their thoughts can affect you. For example, let's say you want to start something, right? And I was. I was guilty of this a few months ago with us, and you kindly called me out about it in a good way. You shared an idea with me about something and we were just messaging about it. My initial response was, yeah, we can't.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Do that right now.
Jay Shetty
Oh, and you were like, wait a minute, can you just let me share my idea? And you said it in a really nice way and I got the message and I felt really bad about it and I was wrong. But my point is, my energy did affect it.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
It did.
Jay Shetty
I closed something down when I shouldn't have. So that's a really good example. So let's say someone's listening right now and they're like, you've got an idea to start a YouTube channel or a podcast, or you want to write a book and you go and tell all your friends. And then all your friends go, why are you starting a podcast? Like, oh, you know, there's like a million podcasts now, it's not a hocus pocus pocus. That energy affects you. You hear that and you go, yeah, maybe I shouldn't start it.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
So true.
Jay Shetty
So all of a sudden, that energy has affected you. Now, if you had shared it with a podcaster, that podcast would have said to you, oh, great, what genre is it? What kind of podcast do you want to do? And you were like, yeah, it's all about relationships, and it's all about connection. And then you could have asked them a question and they would have said, yeah, well, here's what you need to do. Make sure you do one episode a week. Make sure that you are really authentic and be yourself and make sure that you're consistent. Because something like 97% of podcasts don't make it past episode two or three. Right now, all of a sudden, that person who's already done what you want to do is actually helping you, whereas someone who hasn't done what you want to do is draining you. And so I think it is important because energy does impact you and affect you, and someone who's already done what you want to do is more likely to encourage you, whereas someone who hasn't done it is more likely to discourage you because they may not understand. They think it's hard or they think it's complicated.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Do you think people are happier when they're sharing more, or do you think. Actually, I will ask you for yourself. When you made the decision to keep a lot of your own life private and be mindful about what you're sharing, did that bring more peace and clarity and confidence in what you're doing, or did you feel like you're missing out on? Did you feel a bit lonely without sharing things?
Jay Shetty
I think people online and I want to ask you the same questions back. These are great questions. I think we started to equate vulnerability with authenticity online.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Tell me the difference.
Jay Shetty
So if. No, no, no. It's. It's. We're saying that if you share stuff about your life, then you're authentic.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yeah.
Jay Shetty
Stuff about your life, you're not authentic. My take is authenticity is sharing the right thing with the right person at the right time.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
So true.
Jay Shetty
That's actually authentic. Right. If I just found out that a family member was ill just today, I wouldn't tell everyone on social media. Not because I'm being inauthentic, but the first person to call would be my family member.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Exactly.
Jay Shetty
So that's not an inauthentic act. It's actually the most authentic act. So I think we shouldn't fall for this trap where it's like, if you're not fully vulnerable online all the time, that you're inauthentic. Actually, being authentic is being intentional and selective in my. That's my definition for it. So I feel very happy knowing what I share with you, what I share with my best friends, what I share with my mom, and then what I share online. Am I sharing my truth online? Of course I am. Am I sharing my heart online? Of course I am. Are there things that are private that need to be kept between me and my mom, or me and you, or me and my best friends? Of course there are, because that's reality. And I don't think that makes someone inauthentic. I think it actually makes someone real. Because it's the same as saying, if you're. Do you go into your workplace? Because social media is our workplace. You go into your workplace, stand up on your desk, and tell everyone in your office everything about everything. And you would never do that. You wouldn't hijack the company, zoom call and say, guys, I just need everyone to know right now that this is what's going on in my life. You would just never do that. It's not normal. But online, we assume that that is the normal. I'm not saying it's bad if you do that. I'm just saying that for me, that's not authenticity.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yeah, I think I've really struggled with that. I think I've always gone between, oh, I just want to keep everything private now because everyone's opinions and everyone's thoughts on things are too much, and then back to, oh, maybe I should be sharing, because me not talking about this seems like I'm really happy. But actually I've got this going on in my life and my grandma's not well and whatever, so maybe I should be shar because I'm sharing smiles and happiness all online, but there's another part of my life that's happening. And then I've just come to the conclusion that no one will ever understand the duality in people's lives. And I think that's just my conclusion is of having gone through the ups and downs of sharing or not sharing and even. Even sharing within. Within friendship circles. I think actually I'm. I don't share much with my friends or very selective about what I speak to, who I speak to about what. And it's made me so much happier because it's also allowed me to be so much more reflective in my own life. I think I was so used to outsourcing my uncertainty with other people's opinions and making decisions based on that, that now the more that I feel comfortable with answering my own questions, solving my own problems, the less I've got this need to speak to so many people about so many things happening in my life. And I actually do feel so much happier in that. I think the only part I struggle with which, you know, is being misunderstood online. And I think that's something that I am forever working on because I think I go through these bouts of sharing and then not sharing and trying to find the in between. But what you said about the work situation, that makes sense. Do you just stand up and shout when you're having a bad day in your office? You don't, you don't, you don't do that. And so I think it's goes back to intentionality. Am I sharing this for a good reason? Or am I sharing this to try and prove myself, which I've done before, or get people to try and understand me, which is impossible. I actually sent a voice note to my friend this morning, our friend this morning, because she was saying how, you know, her ex boyfriend's friends don't like her because of stuff that he said. And I said, look, there are going to always be people who, no matter what you do or say, if they've wanted to dislike you, no matter how much you tell them about yourself, no matter how much you try and convince them that you are amazing, if they have already wanted to dislike you, they'll have found any, any one word, a breath that you've taken that they don't like. But if they want to be rooting for you, and if they want to see good in you, and if they want to love you, everything that you say, they'll give you benefit of doubt, everything you say, they'll give you grace. And I wrote about this in my notes that the other week I was thinking, imagine how nice it would be if people just gave people grace, whether they're oversharing, whether they're not sharing enough. Like, I just think everybody is going through duality and so much in their life that it's impossible to know the depths of someone. Even if someone was vlogging for 24 hours a day, even if someone was telling you every moment that they were moving. You can't know their heart and you can't know their mind. And so it's impossible to know someone that deeply. And the sharing, not sharing or oversharing, I think also comes with how you're Feeling in the moment, in the day, in your life, depending on what's happening.
Jay Shetty
Yeah. I love what you're saying. I think we've created such a judgmental, critical world, and it's almost like if you walked into a movie theater and you watched three minutes of a movie and then you walked out, and then you walked into another movie for three minutes, then you walked out and you walked into another movie for three minutes. That's what we do on social media.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
That's so true.
Jay Shetty
Right. You don't ever see the full picture. So no one has listened to every episode I've ever recorded on any platform I've ever been on.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yes.
Jay Shetty
Which would be my full picture.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
And I'd be like, you never talk about purpose.
Jay Shetty
Yes. Or. Yeah, exactly. Or you never talk about this. Or, you know, and it's like. But that's how we'd feel if we walked into a movie for three minutes and walked out. So you can only truly have an opinion on something when you understand it fully. Yes, you can have an opinion on anything, to be honest. But you can only truly have an assessment of something if you understand it fully. And today, most of us make big assessments on small amounts of information.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Huge.
Jay Shetty
And we all do it. I do it, too. And that's why it's so important to remind each other of that. And what you were saying where, you know, I remember a few years back, because people were like, oh, Jay and Riley are never together anymore. Maybe they're breaking up. Like, maybe, you know, all this stuff.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
When I was here for months.
Jay Shetty
Yeah. And it's like, no, we travel a lot for work. We do spend time apart every year. Consciously, intentionally planned. But if you don't know us, and you're not, you don't know our relationship, your assessment of it is completely inaccurate. And so this idea of like, oh, maybe they're breaking up, or did, you know they don't live together anymore? And it's like, well, no. Radhi was in London and I was in la, which are two places that we live in. Like, you know, it's. And it's so basic. But. And I don't come out and defend or talk about these things or make it obvious because to me, it's not worth it. It's not enough. But it's important to help people realize that that's why people don't overshare or that's why they do overshare. And so my thing's very clear. I really don't share anything, to try and get someone to believe I'm anything.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yes. You really don't. You're so good at that.
Jay Shetty
I'm so happy with whatever judgment and observation you know when I'm like, just.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Say something about this. You're like, I really don't need to.
Jay Shetty
I don't need to.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
I'm so at peace with it. It's so good.
Jay Shetty
Yeah. And it's not that I'm fully at peace with it. I'm probably, like, figuring out internally.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yes.
Jay Shetty
It's not like I'm beyond it. I'm figuring out internally, but what I've realized is my intention's really clear. That's what I'm focused on. Because I can't change. It's what you just said. So. Well, it's. If someone doesn't like me, no matter what I do, they'll still not like me. And if someone loves me, no matter what I do, they'll still love me. And that's how we make decisions in life. And so I don't want to convince someone to change their mind about me. If someone thinks I'm xyz, that's okay, because I don't want to waste my life explaining myself. I just want to accept that this is where I am. And I think today we'd all be a lot more peace if we weren't explaining ourselves to others. We all want to feel better, to have more energy and more focus throughout the day. That's why I co founded Jooni, a sparkling adaptogenic drink made with powerful ingredients like ashwagandha and lion's mane. It's designed to boost your mood, support your focus, and give you natural energy, all without the crash. A new classic reimagined. We're so excited to officially launch our new lemonade iced tea flavor. When we created Jooni, my goal was simple. I wanted to make drinks that help you feel balanced and energized without compromise. Our upgraded take on the classic Arnold Palmer is crisp, refreshing, and crafted with adaptogens to support energy, focus and mood, all with zero sugar. Be among the first to try it. Available exclusively@drinkjuni.com where you can use the code ONPURPOSE20 for 20% off your first order. Cheers to your daily mood boost. Sometimes what we need most is a pause. A moment of clarity that helps us breathe a little deeper, listen a little closer, and feel a little lighter. On TikTok, those moments are actually happening Every day, creators share daily habits that people find helpful. Personal insights that help them understand their own journeys and reflections that have brought them perspective. When life feels overwhelming. You'll also find people opening up with honesty about healing, about growth, about finding balance in their lives. And in that honesty, we're reminded we're not alone. Because one story of resilience can ripple into thousands of others. One reminder to be present can shift an entire day. And one spark of wisdom can keep us moving forward with more compassion for ourselves and each other. On TikTok, support can show up in the simplest ways. It's a community for reflection and connection, and where small moments can make a meaningful difference. On ebay, every find has a story. Like if you're looking for a vintage band tee. Not just a tee. The band tee from the last show your favorite band ever played. You wore it everywhere until your ex started wearing it, which was cute. Until they dumped you and took it with them, which was not so cute. Anyway, now you're on ebay. And there it is. Same tea from the same tour, still living in your memory. Rent free forever. See, the things you love have a way of finding their way back to you. But ebay isn't just for getting whatever your ex stole back. It's also for that rare championship foul ball you caught, then heroically gave to the kid next to you. And where else are you going to find your first cop, the one you wish you never sold but now finally get the chance to take back home. For good this time. Shop ebay for millions of finds, each with a story. EBay Things people love in your family At Thanksgiving, do you go around and say what you're thankful for? A lot of families do that, and it's such a great tradition. Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves that what's important family and friends. Real human connection. There's no better time to find that connection than Thanksgiving. Old friends are coming into town. Reach out to them. It couldn't be easier. A quick Facebook post asking who's around? Somebody's got to get the ball rolling right? Tag your friends. Maybe your high school class has a Facebook alumni group. Even just going onto Facebook and commenting on friends posts can lead to a connection. Congratulations on a new baby. A happy birthday. Point is, a little connection goes a long way. But you've got to make the connection first. And Thanksgiving really is the perfect opportunity. Happy Thanksgiving and say hello to your friends for me. Let's reconnect this holiday season with Facebook. We all want to feel better, to have more energy and more focus throughout the day. That's why I co founded Joony, a sparkling adaptogenic drink made with powerful ingredients like Ashwagandha and lion's mane. It's designed to boost your mood, support your focus, and give you natural energy, all without the crash. Get your daily mood boost with Jooni at Whole Foods Market or head to drinkjuni.com to find a store near you.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
You know where I found sharing recently has been really useful.
Jay Shetty
I was going to ask you that, actually. Yeah, where is it useful?
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Where it's been really useful. So I. And again, this is based on relationship stuff, but one of my friends was really struggling in her relationship and we were speaking about all the people that we know in our families, everyone that we're really close to that she also knows that I know. And I was saying, you know, it's really normal if you've been in a relationship for X amount of time to go through phases that are really difficult. You do know that this person in our family has been through it. This person in our friendship circle has been through it. This person has been through this. These people have gone to couples therapy. Me and Jay have gone through really difficult times where we found it hard to even have conversations with each other. We've been through so many ups and downs. He said, I had no idea. What do you mean? I had no idea that was normal. I've seen all of you and none of that makes any sense. I was like, yeah, these people were at the verge of breaking up and they literally had to spend so much a year trying to reconnect. She was like, no way. And I told her all of that to make her realize how normal the phases she was going through in her relationship were. But I found that so useful because even within relationships, obviously you have the pictures at events and you have all these little things that you can share and we're talking about online, but even within close family groups or close friendship groups, you will not even know what's happening and realize that actually they're going through the same thing as you are. And it makes you feel so okay about your situation when you realize you're not the only one. And so I think having those. That conversation with my friend was so important because one, it humanized everyone and it wasn't just the rosy relationships that she saw. Two, I don't know anybody who hasn't gone through stuff in their relationship. And then three, I think sharing it online for a lot of people who are public figures, or not even public figures sharing it with their communities, let's say the time it becomes difficult is when people take one thing and make it into something huge, even though they've Been through it. So, like me saying, okay, we found it really difficult before. Someone may say, oh, my gosh, they find it difficult not realizing that they've had such difficult times in their relationship, too. And so I think the judgment ends up going towards people even when we've created that experience or had that experience in our life. But I think sharing in that way has been so useful, even between me and my best friend. Now when I say things that I've been through, she was like, I would have never thought that that was you. And she's like, oh, I went through that too. And I can't believe we're. We're the same and we've had that in common, even though we're such different people. And I think being more open about things like that, especially in our community, because especially, I don't know, you know, wherever you're. Whichever community you're in, I'm sure it's quite similar. But painting rosy pictures about family relationships, about partner relationships, about all these things, it's so easy to paint a rosy picture. And it helps no one because then everyone thinks they're the odd one out when they're going through the same thing that you are. So that I found really useful recently after being around my friends and family here.
Jay Shetty
I mean, that's one of the reasons why, you know, if anyone ever watched the history of our conversations we've had online, yeah, 99% of them will focus on challenges we've had things struggled with. And that's where I felt sharing is really helpful is. My intention is to show that we're all in the same boat.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yeah, we're all on the same level.
Jay Shetty
We're all on the same page. No matter how enlightened or perfect or illuminated you feel someone is, we're all in the same boat and we're all struggling. And that is when I think sharing is really important. And that's what I choose to share. I choose to share my challenges. I choose to share things that I'm stressed about.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Or you're like that even with your friends. Not even just. This isn't even in a public forum. I hear you speak to your friends about the real. I'm like, oh, wow, I didn't think he was going to talk about that. Or I didn't think you would share that with that person, but you really do to help them also open up back to you.
Jay Shetty
And also, just because I also want them to know that that's the real expression that everyone has.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
And it's you being honest with Yourself in that moment too, isn't it? I think we can get so covered up by the fake realities we create in our own mind of trying to be okay in front of other people that, that. That you end up sharing this false version of yourself. And then you come away from that conversation and even though you think you've been vulnerable, you've actually been false vulnerable. Because that's not actually how you feel.
Jay Shetty
Yeah.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
You haven't actually shared anything.
Jay Shetty
Exactly.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
And so you haven't actually built a connection to anyone.
Jay Shetty
Yeah.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
I always think that's why I find it difficult when, you know, people catch pictures of celebrities fighting and they put up pictures of it or whatever. It's like, have we not all had a moment where we've slammed a door? Have we not all had a moment where we've walked out of a restaurant because we've had an argument? We were a little bit upset. And so I think that I always feel so sad for people when I see stuff like that, because I'm like, I've had those moments. I've been shouting, I've slammed the door in the car when I've left before.
Jay Shetty
Or you don't have a clue what was happening anyway.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Totally. Exactly.
Jay Shetty
And someone's resting face is just not smiley. And so someone.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
It's like whenever I'm on my phone and you're like, are you okay? And I'm like writing a message and it's literally me just on ASOS ordering some clothes, and I'm like, I'm literally just concentrating. But if someone saw me doing that in public, identifying with someone.
Jay Shetty
Yeah, exactly. And that's. I think that's what it is, is that you can't make big assessments and judgments with small information. And. And it would just make your life more peaceful and easier. I think the takeaway I want people to have is that whether you have a life that is online or whether it's your offline life, it's almost like the same principles apply. Who do you want to share this with? What are you trying to share? And most importantly, why are you sharing it? What's your intention? And if your intention is to make others feel less alone, if your intention is to share something so that you feel loved and cared for, help people.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Through what they're going through and help yourself.
Jay Shetty
These are all beautiful things. And no one can tell you whether you're oversharing or overexposed. Only you get to decide that. Even if everyone goes, oh, you're oversharing, you're over. You wanted to share it as long as your intention's in the right place. And don't ever feel pressured into thinking that you have to be vulnerable to be authentic, because it's authentic to be vulnerable when you want to. It's not authentic to just be vulnerable anytime, any place, with everyone.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Yeah. And I think I'd also add that sharing is similar with your words, is similar to sharing emotion in the sense that you're not supposed to hold everything inside and it's not supposed to all live in your head either. And so I think part of experiencing life and part of experiencing emotions and part of experiencing pain and happiness, a big part of it is the sharing aspect of it. There is a notion of you experience something and then you share it. You learn something and then you share it. And so we're not supposed to just keep everything inside of us. There is supposed to be this action of receiving whatever the. Whatever it is, pain, knowledge, information, and then giving it out to other people. And I think we're built to be in communities and sharing is a big part of that. And being honest with yourself, a big part of that is also sharing. And I think that's something really important to remember that we. We have to learn to take what's in our mind and be able to say out loud to really sometimes get the depth or the. The weight of what is inside of us. But, yeah, keep sharing, people. Keep sharing.
Jay Shetty
Thanks so much for listening and watching, everyone. I hope you share your comments, your ideas, your thoughts in the comment section and of course, share this episode with anyone else that you think is concerning.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
You know what? Overshare it. Overshare this episode. Yeah. Okay, bye.
Jay Shetty
Amazing. Hey, everyone. If you love that conversation, go and check out my episode with the world's leading therapy therapist, Lori Gottlieb, where she answers the biggest questions that people ask in therapy when it comes to love, relationships, heartbreak, and dating. If you're trying to figure out that space right now, you won't want to miss this conversation. Effy.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
If it's a romantic relationship, hold hands. It's really hard to argue. It actually calms your nervous systems. Just hold hands as you're having the conversation. It's so.
Jay Shetty
Hey, audiobook lovers, I'm Cal Penn.
Cal Penn / Ed Helms (advertisement voices)
I'm Ed Helms.
Jay Shetty
Ed and I are inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with our new podcast, Earsay, the Audible, and iHeart Audiobook Club.
Cal Penn / Ed Helms (advertisement voices)
Each week we sit down with your favorite iHeart podcast hosts and some very special guests to discuss the latest and greatest audiobooks from audible.
Jay Shetty
Listen to earsay on America's number one podcast network, Network iHeart Followersay and start listening on the free iHeartRadio app today.
Cal Penn / Ed Helms (advertisement voices)
What a matchup we got, y'.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
All.
Cal Penn / Ed Helms (advertisement voices)
This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit. Chance echo drum beat everybody showing that school pride. Game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there. Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere and in ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo no matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work so grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going, going.
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
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Podcast: On Purpose with Jay Shetty
Episode: Jay & Radhi Talk About Why People Feel the Need to Overshare
Date: November 15, 2025
Host: Jay Shetty
Guest: Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
In this candid episode, Jay Shetty and his wife Radhi Devlukia-Shetty explore the dynamics of oversharing in the digital age—why people do it, what its effects are, and how to discern healthy self-disclosure from performative or draining vulnerability. Drawing on personal experiences, spiritual principles from Jay’s time in the monastery, and insights from social science, they consider both online and offline sharing, the power of intention behind what we reveal, and the impact community and individual relationships have on what we choose to disclose.
“I really struggle with the online sharing situation because on one hand, people want...to know your life...they also want to see the pain. But then when I sometimes share that, I'm crying, I get messages that, ‘why are you always sharing that you're sad?’” (04:26)
“People started sharing vulnerable things...but vulnerability, in my opinion, has become performative sometimes. Not always. Sometimes.” – Jay (07:52)
“If I ever share vulnerably online, it's because I believe there's a lesson...a teaching moment.” (07:52)
“Is it because you want someone to be able to relate...? Is it because you want attention?...Being really clear about where your vulnerability is coming from—that's a really great place of assessment.” (08:55)
“The more people tend to present about themselves, the less sympathy they get. When things go wrong, people assume they brought it on themselves.” – Jay, quoting Dr. Christopher Han (09:06)
“When you share something before it's complete, that idea loses 50% of its value.” – Jay (12:34)
“When you end up sharing sacred parts of yourself with people who haven’t earned it...every single word carries intentionality...when you end up sharing words over and over again, they lose their power, their energy. And that scatters your energy all over the place.” – Radhi (14:47)
“It’s like a false closeness...Because now you can be vulnerable with me...And it creates this connection as fast as possible.” – Radhi (15:44)
“You have a group chat and you tell 30 people who you’re dating...you ask 30 people...No wonder you feel lost and confused.” – Jay (16:57)
“It’s easier to be yourself with strangers than it is with people that know you best.” (11:18)
“If you had shared [your new idea] with a podcaster...they would have said...here’s what you need to do...Whereas someone who hasn’t done it is more likely to discourage you.” – Jay (20:34)
“Authenticity is sharing the right thing with the right person at the right time.” (22:09)
“Would you hijack the company Zoom call and say, ‘guys, I need everyone to know right now...’? You would never do that.” – Jay (23:46)
“The more that I feel comfortable with answering my own questions, solving my own problems, the less I've got this need to speak to so many people about so many things happening in my life. And I actually do feel so much happier...” (24:03)
“It's almost like if you walked into a movie theater and you watched three minutes...That's what we do on social media...Most of us make big assessments on small amounts of information.” – Jay (27:16)
“I found that so useful because...it humanized everyone and it wasn't just rosy relationships...It makes you feel so okay about your situation when you realize you're not the only one.” – Radhi (34:34)
“Who do you want to share this with? What are you trying to share? And most importantly, why are you sharing it?” – Jay (39:32)
“We're built to be in communities and sharing is a big part of that. And being honest with yourself, a big part of that is also sharing.” – Radhi (40:39)
“So when you've already technically succeeded by talking about it, you have less motivation to complete it afterwards.” – Radhi (14:23)
“Don’t ever feel pressured into thinking that you have to be vulnerable to be authentic, because it’s authentic to be vulnerable when you want to.” – Jay (40:10)
“You can only truly have an assessment of something if you understand it fully. And today, most of us make big assessments on small amounts of information.” – Jay (27:55)
“I really don't share anything to try and get someone to believe I'm anything.” – Jay (29:00)
“No one will ever understand the duality in people's lives.” – Radhi (25:33)
“Imagine how nice it would be if people just gave people grace, whether they're oversharing, whether they’re not sharing enough...” – Radhi (25:52)
This episode is a thoughtful exploration of the role of sharing and oversharing in our lives. Jay and Radhi advocate for self-reflection and intentionality—sharing to serve, to connect, or to heal, but not out of compulsion or the weight of judgment. Sharing can foster community and empathy, but both too much and too little can have emotional consequences. The hosts urge listeners to understand their own motivations, to hold healthy boundaries, and to recognize that authenticity is measured by integrity and timing rather than the quantity of personal content revealed. Ultimately, only you know what’s “too much” or “not enough” for you.
“Keep sharing, people. Keep sharing.”
— Radhi Devlukia-Shetty (41:45)
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