If there is anything you don’t want people to know about you, don’t tell anyone. We give people too much responsibility when we entrust them with our business. Sometimes they repeat the information mindlessly; other times they use our story to make a point; at worst times they use it against you. We should only tell our problems to people who can help. 80% of the people we talk to can’t help us; the other 20% really don’t care. We are quick to accuse our friends of betraying us, but do we consider how we betray ourselves? We lie to ourselves and then allow ourselves to believe it will not come back. It does, through the mouth and actions of someone else. In those special times when you must talk about your private affairs, ask the other person if they are willing to keep your confidence. If they repeat it, then the responsibility is theirs – not for telling your business, but for not keeping their word.
I will only tell you what I want everybody to know.