I don’t believe there’s a one-size-fits-all answer to the question. Every person needs to figure out what they’re comfortable with.

However, there are specific things to consider on what stays private.

Firstly, if I’m in the middle of a severe emotional challenge, I wait until I overcome it before I blog about it. That way I have a good story and don’t sound like I’m complaining.

I also suggest you avoid gossiping in any form on your blog. In general, don’t mention people you know personally unless it’s to celebrate them. Trash talking people in your circle looks tacky and tells the reader you’re not worth associating with.

After that, the classic question is “Would I want a future employer to see this?”

A lot of people see this question and immediately think they should avoid genuine expression and avoid controversy at all costs. They make sure their blog’s a stack of articles about their five favorite business podcasts or how important it is to be productive.

This approach makes you look like everyone else and doesn’t provide a ton of value for a future employer. If everyone else writes the same stuff (and they do), how can the employer know you’re legit?

It’s worth analyzing the question in more detail.

“Future employer” is far too vague. Instead, ask “How would I feel if the kind of person I want to work with read this?”

The important part is identifying the type of person you want to work with. Do you want to work with someone who hates you for your controversial beliefs? If a tendentious blog post turns someone off you, do you want to work with them anyway?

I advocate ridiculous amounts of authenticity in blogging because I hate that a secret of business is still unexposed: that nobody knows what they’re doing. No business has a guidebook and the entire thing is a game of figuring out how to solve each problem, and those in the thick of things knows it.

If someone dismisses you because your blog admits your lack of omniscience, they’re probably insecure about their own lack of omniscience. There’s no reason to pretend to be more experienced, skilled, or wise than you are. In fact, some of the best folks will find it refreshing to read writing that’s an accurate expression of your self, rather than someone you’re pretending to be.