I think it's pretty fair to say that each and every one of us has a secret lurking somewhere inside.
It may not be something particularly huge, but it's usually enough that we want to keep it to ourselves.
Secrets can be harmful if they adversely affect another person in our life, but for the most part they are harmless.
The average personal secret usually boils down to a crush that you have on someone, or something that you get up to in the privacy of your own home.
But then there are secrets that are big and which can destroy lives if they ever get out.
What do you do if you are harboring one of those biggies, and is it okay to keep those secrets to yourself? Parents will always tell kids that they shouldn't keep secrets, but there are times when it is perfectly acceptable to do so.
Here are a few that should remain forever unspoken: Trust is something that most of us work very hard to build, but it is also something that can be quickly torn apart with a single misspoken word.
If you have a friend or family member that tell you something in confidence, begging you not to tell another soul, then you had best take that secret with you to the grave.
What you have to understand is that is probably took a real force of will, not to mention a heaping of trust, for them to share that secret with you.
There are a number of problems that adults have to deal with on a daily basis, with money and relationships usually at the top of the list.
If you are having problems with either of those, then it's perhaps something that is best kept within the relationship, rather than blabbing about them to everyone.
Some people take a perverse joy in watching others fail, so keep your problems secret and work on them within the relationship.
Children, or anyone else that may be hurt by the revelation of a secret are best kept in the dark.
Unless it is something that is going to directly affect that person in a negative way, then keep the secret from them.
Secrets aren't just reserved for individuals and couples.
Governments and the military have all manner of secrets tucked away in places that you and I will never see.
Conspiracy theories abound regarding those secrets, but you have to believe that there are some things that are best kept out of site.
Some of those secrets falling into the hands of an enemy could result in serious repercussions that could affect each and every one of us.
I spoke earlier about harboring a secret crush, and while that may seem like something inconsequential, except of course to the one whose heart is full, it could have a negative effect if revealed.
That is because we don't always fall for those who are single and available.
Sometimes the object of our desire is one that is happily married or is already in a committed relationship.
To blurt out your true feeling could result in an uncomfortable situation or even a rather negative response from the partner of your crush.
No matter what your parent may have told you when you were a kid, there are times when a secret is best kept to yourself.
The general rule of thumb should be that if uttering those secrets results in someone else getting hurt, then it might be best to keep your lips sealed.
On the other hand, if you have a personal secret that is weighing you down and causing you pain, then you should find someone that you trust and let it out (how to relieve the stress of a burning secret ).
There is no better feeling that getting a secret off of your chest and it may in fact only be matched by the ability to keep one that had been entrusted to you by a friend.