How to Keep a Confidence

Keeping a confidence is not always easy. Maybe you have caught yourself revealing too much about yourself or others to people who do not need to know. It's important at times to weigh your words and think about consequences of saying too much, and especially when and if a friend has shared a confidence or need for prayer with you. 

This is advice for young and old alike.  When someone shares a confidence, don’t make it about you.  They are placing their trust in you.  Don’t draw attention to yourself by being one that draws attention to yourself by “sharing” something that isn’t yours to share.

1 Think about the silly situations and trouble we put ourselves in by saying too much. No one really needs to know our salary, or what we did over the weekend, or our secret winning chess move.

2 Be the guardian, the keeper of secrets. Not bad secrets about someone's wrong doing, not things you share in camaraderie with close friends. But keep the secrets you've been told in confidence, the personal things that no one needs to know about.

3 Think about your future. Care about other people. Have integrity. Be a pillar of strength among friends. If you don't want to be talked about behind another's back, don't give away private information about others either. That's their call.  To have a friend, you must first be a friend.

4 Be the trusted friend to others and to yourself.

5 Keep your trusted, treasured and confidential information safe. Guard your finances, your Social Security number, your passwords and pin numbers.   

6 Raise your standards and your sense of self-worth. Keep a confidence close to your heart and you will find the friends that won't part.

©Betty Jean Bowers