be careful what you share with people

Be Careful What You Share: 5 Reasons to Guard Your Secrets

‘Want to know why it’s so important to be careful what you share with people? Here you’ll learn why it’s essential to keep certain aspects of your life private.

be careful what you share

Sharing too much information about your life isn’t only a sign of low self-esteem; it can also cause social trouble for you later. Why? Because there are toxic people out there who would jump at the chance to weaponize this kind of info against you.

Therefore, in this post, you will learn why you should be careful what you share to avoid giving your bullies any fodder to use against you. You will also learn the kinds of things you should keep to yourself.

Once you learn all about these social faux pas and how to correct them, you will be able to protect yourself from bullies and social predators better.

This post is all about why you should be careful what you share and the types of information you should keep quiet about.

Be Careful What You Share

The first step to this rule is knowing what not to share. Here is a list of things you should keep to yourself.

1. Your Goals

Not everyone needs to know your goals. This is for everyone, but especially if you’re a target of bullying.

Many people trumpet their goals and dreams. They announce their plans without realizing the potential ramifications.

Additionally, if you’re a target of bullying, you have more reasons to keep your plans, goals, and dreams to yourself and work quietly. Understand that any time you announce your objectives and agendas, you place yourself at risk of being sabotaged.

Realize that your bullies are waiting, with bated breath, to destroy you. And, they would love nothing more than to derail you from your goals.

Be Careful What You Share:

Not everyone wants you to succeed.

You must realize that not everyone wants you to succeed. And that includes some of your closest friends.

Why? Because your success would force them to reflect on their own personal failures and shortcomings. If you’re a target of bullying, your bullies will be damned before they allow someone they see as inferior to reach success and overshadow them.

Bullies consider any success you enjoy as a personal affront. Any time you achieve a goal, you score a win, and when you score a win, you force your bullies into a place of lesser power.

It’s you who gets the recognition, praise, and glory, not your bullies. And they know it! In other words, you force them into the shadows while you get to shine and be recognized for your accomplishments.

This infuriates your bullies because they aren’t the ones in the spotlight! So, understand that the one thing bullies crave most is attention and adoration. And when they find that you’re getting more of those things than they are, it’s Katie bar the door!

IF you score a win, your bullies will make you pay for it.

Naturally, they will launch all sorts of attacks against you. Your bullies will make all sorts of accusations toward you. They’ll even bring up the mistakes of your past to drive you back into the shade.

You must see through their behavior. They only do it because their power has been threatened. And when a bully is threatened with losing power and being driven into obscurity, they reveal their true colors.

Therefore, you force them to expose themselves and their evil personalities. So, how do you handle this?

You handle it by simply staying above it. In other words, don’t react to the bullies’ foolishness. You deal with their abuse by continuing to enjoy your wins and successes and letting them stew in their own juices.

Just let them talk. Let them launch all the personal attacks they desire as they seethe themselves into a ball of madness! Because when they act out and spew nonsense against you, they only dig their own graves.

In the meantime, work quietly and stealthily until you reach your goals and successes. The more quietly you work, the less interference you’ll have from bullies and a few other toxic life-suckers.

And the fewer roadblocks you will run into along the way. And once you reach your goals, then you can bask in it, and with it, give your bullies the surprise of their lives.

“Your journey is silent, but your destination will be loud.”

2. Be Careful What you Share with people:

Good News

Good news is another thing bullies hate when it comes from you. Therefore, just to be safe, sometimes, you must keep your good news to yourself.

3. Your Successes

If you’re a victim of bullying, you can be sure that any successes you achieve will incite jealousy. Jealousy often leads to more bullying. Here’s why.

Most bullies believe that they are superior to you. Any time you make an achievement, they will see it as a threat to their power. Therefore, when you share any wins, your bullies will increase their attacks against you.

And they will do it not only to punish you, but also to keep you in your place. Therefore, it isn’t always safe to share your accomplishments.

Moreover, your bullies might convince others that you are bragging. In cases like this, please allow someone else to announce your success instead of doing it yourself.

4. Your Sex Life

This should go without saying. No one wants to hear about what goes on in your bedroom. When you share your sex life with others, you reveal yourself as classless. Also, you attract bullies who are itching to exploit that.

If you are a single female, your bullies may use it to paint you as a “slut,” “whore,” and other labels that attack the feminine virtues.

5. Be Careful What You Share:

Any History of Abuse

Bullies love to victimize people who are already suffering abuse. Why? Because when someone is abused, they are vulnerable. And bullies are cowards who go for the low-hanging fruit.

Remember that, in the animal kingdom, a pack of wolves always target the weakest animal in the herd to attack. Maybe the targeted animal is sick. Or, maybe the animal is wounded. So, wolves will zero in on that animal because they are the easiest prey.

It’s the same with bullies; they usually go after the person they deem the weakest. Therefore, someone who is or has been abused is easy prey. Why? Because victims of abuse typically have low self-esteem.

They’re least likely to defend themselves. Therefore, never tell anyone you were abused in the past unless it is someone you know you can trust.

6. Legal Problems

This is another detail about your life that you should keep to yourself. Even if it is as minor as a traffic ticket, bullies will find a way to exploit it. And your legal issues are none of anyone’s business.

It’s better to keep it private.

7. Be Careful What you Share with people:

Divorces or Breakups

No one needs to know about your divorce or breakup. Bullies will use it as confirmation that you are defective. And most people are judgmental these days.

It’s true that if you’re going through a divorce, it may show up in the local newspaper. However, you don’t have to be the one who announces it. Keep it to yourself.

8. Child custody

This is another thing to keep private, not only for yourself, but for your children as well. Evil people will rejoice over it because evil hates the sanctity of marriage and the beauty of family.

People who are jealous of you will see it as a form of justice. Again, some secrets should remain secrets.

9. Family Issues

This should be a no-brainer. Any problems you have in the family should stay in the family. Bullies will only spread it around and use it as confirmation that there is something wrong with you.

Therefore, don’t tell anyone anything they don’t need to know.

10. Be Careful what you Share:

Medical Diagnoses

Whether you were diagnosed with cancer or diabetes, no one needs to know except family and close friends. If you have a job, you may need to tell your supervisor and provide proof of your diagnosis.

This is understandable, as you may require time off work for hospitalizations and home recovery. However, many people, especially victims of bullying, may announce their diagnoses. They may do this in hopes of quelling any bullying.

However, it will only exacerbate the bullying. People are vicious these days, and they may rejoice over it. They may also bully you, hoping to make you sicker. Therefore, this is fodder bullies shouldn’t have.

11. Be Careful What You Share with people:

Who you voted for

In the past, people considered this a private matter, and it was understood and respected. It should still be private today. Why? Because today’s political climate is dangerous and, no matter what side of the aisle you are on, revealing your voting choices only invites bullying.

Therefore, keep that to yourself.

12. Your Finances

If nothing else, know this! Whether you are high or low-income, your money and bank account are no one else’s business.

Why? Two reasons. If you are high-income, you will incite envy. You may even bring resentment on yourself. If you are low-income, you will encourage pity, or worse, ridicule.

Therefore, your finances should remain secret!

13. Be Careful What you Share:

The Names of your Family Members

If people target you for bullying, the last thing they need to know is who you are related to. The reason for this is that bullies are known for targeting their victims’ families. Especially today!

Therefore, if you suffer bullying, you must do what you must do to keep your loved ones safe. Don’t reveal their names to anyone.

14. Your Home Address

Unless you want to risk bullies or their henchmen showing up on your doorstep, it’s best not to tell anyone your home address. With the doxxing culture that has washed over the world today, your bullies may find out where you live anyway.

However, you won’t be the one who gave the information to them. And, they will have had to work to get it. If possible, it’s best to keep your street address secret.

15. Your Phone Number

If bullies are targeting you, you don’t want them to have your phone number. Keep it secret and keep down the risk of any threatening and incendiary calls or texts.

5 reasons to guard your secrets

There are good reasons to keep certain parts of your life private. Here are five:

1. Reasons to Be Careful What you Share with people:

Bullies and other toxic people will use it against you.

Any traffic tickets, legal troubles, divorces, or other such negative situations are bully fodder. And bullies will gladly use it to poke holes in your character. The less people know, the better.

2. You might accidentally incite others’ jealousy.

Any good news, such as marriages, births, awards, accomplishments, and accolades, will only incite jealousy. For instance, if you are getting married, you may receive hatred from those who are having a difficult time finding a mate. People who have just experienced a breakup will also spew hatred toward you.

If you are pregnant, other women who want children and have difficulty conceiving will bully you out of jealousy. Women who have a hard time finding a mate will also give you a hard time. So, keep it to yourself until your expanding baby bump announces it for you.

Believe me. When you first discover you’re pregnant, I know how hard it is to keep to yourself. It’s an exciting time, and you can’t wait to share the great news. However, if you are a target of bullying, it’s not always wise. I found this out the hard way when I was expecting my first child.

Envy is an epidemic. Especially nowadays.

3. Be Careful What You Share:

You may lose out on opportunities.

For instance, if you are having legal troubles, you may lose out on job opportunities. Or, if people know about your sex life, you may lose social opportunities. Therefore, some things are better left unsaid.

4. Be Careful What You Share with people:

You may bring about judgment from others.

Any of the above secrets will bring judgment if exposed. And, whether or not they know anything, people will judge you anyway. So, it’s better to avoid making it any easier for them.

5. you may open yourself up to being a crime victim.

If you have a big bank account and you brag to everyone about it, it may reach the ears of criminals and place you in grave danger. Therefore, it’s best not to brag. Period!

This post is all about why you should be careful what you share with people so that you can raise your chances of safety and better avoid bullying.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. What Not to Share at Work When You Suffer Workplace Bullying 

2. Secrets Bullies Hope You Never Find Out: 11 Must-Know Facts about Bullies