Workplace Vulnerability Feels Like a Trap, So I Bring a Deck Instead

There’s been a lot of talk lately about “bringing your whole self to work.” It’s cute. It’s earnest. It’s fine in theory. But I need to be clear: I’m not withholding. I’m just professionally formatted.

It’s not that I’m emotionally distant. It’s that I believe in context.

You want to know how I’m really doing? Great. But let me at least launch a quick Loom with visual metaphors and a tiered vulnerability strategy. Otherwise, it just feels chaotic.

I’ve seen people cry in meetings. I’ve watched grown adults describe their burnout using vague metaphors about fog and internal gardens. I respect it. But unless you’re prepared to list deliverables afterward, it’s just ambient drama.

I once opened up during a leadership offsite. I shared that I felt “chronically productive but existentially vague.” The room got quiet. Someone offered a breathing exercise. Someone else logged off.

That’s when I realized: emotional honesty in the workplace is like a shared Google Doc. Everyone wants access, but no one wants to take responsibility for what’s in it.

I’m not cold. I’m calibrated.
I believe in feelings.
I just think they belong in a follow-up email with action items.