Listen Live

Have you ever started a sentence with something like, “I’ve never told anyone this before …”?  If so, it probably means  you have someone in your life you feel like you can confide in.

A new report says nearly a quarter of us don’t feel like we have anyone we can share our private feelings or struggles with.  The study also said a vast majority of us, feel the need to downplay our struggles if we open up to someone.

Keeping our problems to ourselves creates, well, more problems. They don’t go away.  Instead,  don’t do this, they just fester or get worse, as we often suffer in silence.  There is power and strength when we are able to share our challenges with others. That’s where we can get better.

Here’s a word picture for you – cockroaches live and thrive in the dark.  It is in the light where they can be killed.  The same things goes with our problems and struggles. We need to bring our struggle out into the light – share them with a friend – so we can begin to conquer or squash our challenges like a cockroach.

We often think no wants to be bothered with our problems, but I think you would be surprised that people care about you more than you realize and would be happy to listen to you.  Othewise, talking to someone like a counselor or pastor, can give you the same freedom to share your burdens.  The most important thing is to not keep your struggles to yourself.

 

*Eric Allen has his Masters in Counseling.  When he’s not on B105.7, he works as a private practice therapist*

Photo credit: Getty Images/bowie15