I am going to say to myself every day "Don't feel for other people your going to cause self destruction to happen" really loudly just to make myself understand how very silly it sounds.
I'm glad I was able to help :) I was pretty reluctant posting the details of what's been going on with me, but I'm glad that I did since it helped
I would change your quote to "I decide who can help me and hurt me based on how much power I give them"
Information is power. It holds a great deal of potential for growth, or destruction based on how it is perceived, who uses it, how it is received and how it is distributed. I can say that I've given more information over the forums than I am comfortable giving under normal circumstances, but more good than bad has come from it. Perhaps the only bad thing comes from misunderstandings but that's OK since I'll typically have a chance to explain myself and it's usually cool afterwards. I can honestly say I chose wisely in divulging information about my personal life, and venting in the forums.
However, with my own family I'm not really inclined to divulge as much information based on the fact that it would hold a devastating amount of power over me based on their position and influence.
In my relationships I give out a great deal of power to whoever I'm dating because I'm looking for permanency and I truly care about them. Though I end up giving too much too soon. It has bit me in the *** in the past, I never regret opening my heart in this category, but I do regret giving too much too soon which tends to make the other person uncomfortable.
Random strangers I immediately count them as threats unless proven otherwise. I either deflect them, give vague answers to make sort of a emotional smoke screen, or make up a scenario which acts like a countermeasure so I won't be attached to them. I might even take the offensive if I'm threatened enough. This might not be healthy, but it's become a habit; a habit that I need to break. Plus I can't always tell the difference between who means well and who means me harm.
That's what I do regarding information in my personal life. I think my priorities are all screwed up, but that's one of the reasons why I'm going to therapy. I can't always discern friend or foe and I don't always know how much to give unless someone flat out tells me. I'm hoping one day I can figure all this out without relying on a frying pan to hit me over the head and someone pointing what direction I need to go. It's something I'm trying to work on myself. Knowing who to tell and what to tell is a really important thing to know in my opinion.
