The 4 Things You Won’t Admit to Anyone 😶

When I was a kid, no one would tell me anything because I was a TERRIBLE secret keeper.

I just could NOT keep a juicy piece of information inside.

Maybe it was a birthday surprise for my sister or a surprise visit from a relative….everyone knew I’d blab.

When we’re kids, the secrets we tell are usually pretty harmless, but as we grow into adulthood, our secrets can grow more serious and even damaging.

Secrets about our marriage, our financial situation, or maybe the way we lied on our taxes.

Life is hard. And if we keep our struggles a secret, it means we’re not getting help and perspective from others. God wants us to bring those things out into the light, so He can help us deal with what we’re going through in a healthy way.

Here are 4 secrets you may be keeping in your own life….

1. I feel like a Failure. Oh, on the outside I may look like I have it all figured out. But on the inside, I can’t shake this feeling of failure.

Here’s everyone’s dirty little secret: None of us have things all figured out. Even top-tier people are hoping what they’re doing will succeed, but no one knows. We are all managing this tension! So open up about your situation. You’ll give others permission to be honest about their fears of failure, too.

2.  My Personal Life Struggles. We’re all guilty of bringing work and life stress home. We paint on a smile for our coworkers, but we dump our frustrations out on the ones we love the most.

Seems wrong, doesn’t it?

It’s no coincidence that when life gets hard, marriages struggle too. Or when you’re in a crisis (maybe a career or health crisis), your kids start acting out. If things are hard at home, I highly recommend a good family and marriage counselor that can help you navigate through those difficulties.

Have the courage to seek help when you need it.

3. I’m lonely. Plenty of people experience loneliness which can feel embarrassing. The truth is, loneliness is experienced by most people.

Recent studies have shown that 61% of young adults in the US are experiencing “serious loneliness.” (harvard.edu/reports/loneliness-in-america)

This may sound like an oxymoron, but you’re not alone in your loneliness.

Be honest with others that you’re looking for deeper connections. Ask people to coffee or dinner. You’ll never come out of a season of loneliness by keeping it a secret.

4. I Want to Quit. At our lowest most desperate moments, we dream of just running away….maybe from our job, or our marriage, or other stresses.

Anywhere else has got to be better than this, right?

Well, maybe. But probably not.

Because wherever you go, you’ll go with you. And your problems most likely will too.

How many people remarried after a divorce, only to find the same problems all over again? At some point, you have to deal with you. Now it may, in fact, be time to find a new job, or get some professional marriage counseling (see # 2 above), but that’s not the same as escaping. If you feel a chronic desire to run away from it all, it’s probably time to talk with a trusted friend, pastor, or counselor about finding healthy coping skills.

You don’t need to keep these secrets any longer! We’ve all had these issues from time to time. Bring your struggles into the light where you can find hope and healing.