Do You Hide in the World — or in Yourself?

by Jorge Lara
View the authors Profile

We all have ways of coping. Some of us turn inward, into our thoughts, emotions, and reflections. Others turn outward—into constant activity, socializing, productivity, or distraction.

But what happens when either way becomes a hiding place? When being too inward makes the world feel distant—or when being too outward makes us strangers to ourselves?
This post explores the balance (or imbalance) between our inner and outer lives, and how we might reconnect with both.

Do You Hide Inside Yourself — Or Outside in the World?

Do you often get caught up in your own thoughts and emotions? Always processing how you feel, analyzing your experiences, tuning in to your inner world?
Or do you find yourself constantly planning, focusing on performance, thinking about other people, strategies, and the next thing you need to do?

Sometimes we can live so much in our heads that the outside world begins to feel distant. Disconnected. As if you’re observing life, not living it. Social gatherings feel draining or unnecessary. You prefer staying in, alone. Maybe even feel alone—regardless of how many people are around.
Other times, it’s the opposite.

You keep yourself busy. You’re always with people, involved in activities, moving from one thing to the next. But beneath all that, there’s a subtle avoidance. You haven't checked in with yourself in a long time. You’re out there, in the world—but disconnected from your own inner life.

So when you think about something simple—like going for a walk or grabbing a coffee—do you crave solitude? Or does the idea feel incomplete without company?
Are you someone who lives a life alone, surrounded by people?
Or do you live so with people that you’ve forgotten how to be alone with yourself?
Neither way of living is wrong—but either extreme can become a form of hiding.
Some of us disappear into ourselves. Others vanish into the world.

So the question becomes:
How do we find a balance between our inner world and the outer world?
How do we stay connected—to ourselves and to others?