Everybody loves secrets. Hearing other people’s secrets makes you feel trustworthy and sharing your own lifts so many weights off your shoulders. Lots of people feel as if it’s just…right for the people around them to know everything that’s going on in their life. And a good bit of the time, it is. Still, there are some things about you that are a good idea to keep a secret no matter how badly you want to spill the beans.
Your Finances
Income is a really touchy subject. Sharing the details of your financial situation is just not a good idea simply because you never know what other people’s finances look like. The last thing you want to do is brag about your thousands of dollars in pay raise when someone around you is currently struggling to pay their bills. And vice versa. If you’re in a tight spot with your money situation, you don’t want people to feel sorry for you. To avoid that awkward shift in the relationship, just keep your income under wraps.
Your Household Issues
Issues with family or a spouse are things that should be solved within the household. Bashing or exposing secrets about the people close to you just dismantles their trust and usually makes the situation worse. Others may be able to provide some sense of context to the situation but nobody knows your family or spouse like you do. Take some time to step into the other person’s perspective before allowing outsiders to add their opinions.
Your Regrets
Everyone has things they regret in life. Some have more than others but holding on to grudges and negative feelings from the past can be exhausting. It’s good to vent and get those feelings out every now and then but people usually don’t like to hear negative stories every time they see someone. It’s important to know the difference between letting things go and dragging them back into your life. Some people might feel inspired by the things you encountered but sometimes the best way to heal is to forgive and forget.
Your Acts of Kindness/Material Things
Ever heard of good karma? It works in mysterious ways. When you do good things, you usually get good in return. Nonetheless, bragging about all the good things you do for people changes the context. People might start to believe that you only do good things for bragging rights. Same thing with material items you might acquire throughout life. It feels good to let other people know about things you have going for yourself. But doing so too much can make you seem arrogant or like a “show off”. Flaunt your proudest material possessions but let others ask you about them if they want more details.
Disclaimer: This article is the opinion of the author.
