Discrete

I've always tended to consider myself a rather discrete person as far as what I do and don't say. What I do, when I do it, and who I do it with, I most often consider to be information that the world doesn't need to know. And although I've never been a particular advocate of the phrase "I don't kiss and tell," I do nonetheless rather tend to practice that behavior.

On the contrary, though, most people I know have the opposite approach to their lives. They advertise their activities not only to their friends, but to the rest of the world, as well. It's as though publicizing an event gives it greater significance or raises the individual sharing that story in the regard of those around them. All too often, though, that isn't true.

So why do I not scatter the stories of my life to everyone and anyone, or even to most, if not all, of my friends? Out of common courtesy and respect. I'd say respect for anyone involved, for myself, and for the people I'm telling, but I rather lost respect for myself, so that's no longer very true. However, I still maintain this out of a respect for those around me, whether they are involved in the situation or not.

I am firmly of the belief that what happens between any number of individuals should stay between those individuals unless it is either damn near meaningless or mutually agreed to be shared, or otherwise benefits from being revealed. People who are involved in the situation will inevitably stay involved, if only by way of recalling given events, and those who are not tend to be better off remaining uninvolved, because so long as the situation isn't about them, they have absolutely no business sticking their nose in it.

That's why I tend to be reserved with information entrusted to me and with information regarding myself. Has it screwed me over in the past? Certainly. More often than I would like? Absolutely. Is that going to make me change the way I live and deal with things? Hell no. Because I'll take that little bit of unpleasant consequence to keep whatever information quiet for those around me.

I hesitate to go to people for advice because of this aspect of my life. I don't want to be a burden on them, and I don't want to reveal more than they need to know (which in itself tends to be pretty much nothing). So yes, this most definitely backfires every so often in my life. But it also leads to closer connections with people.

Because once I get close to someone, close enough to actually reveal information about myself, my emotions, my more personal sentiments and thoughts...I get very close, and I try to typically not lose friends like that. Admittedly, it happens on occasion, but I try not to let it, because it takes a hell of a lot for me to trust someone that much. And god knows I have enough trust issues that have built up over the years.

So yes, I do tend to be discrete and reserved involving both myself and others. I do it with reason. That is how I live my life, and for the sake of those around me, I do not intend to change it. Simple as that.