8 Things Savvy People Never Do…

8 Things Savvy

People Never Do…

by Bonita Bennett

Share Their Secrets.  At a college reunion, a cousin’s best friend confessed a long-held secret after a night of too many champagne cocktails.  She admitted she’d slept with my cousin’s boyfriend. while they were dating in college.  She claimed the guilt had dogged her for years. She begged my cousin to forgive her, but she never spoke to her again 

 We all have secrets.  Some, we will never tell, and some, by the very nature of what they hide, need to be told…but who do we tell them to?   Do we wait for someone we can trust, when a burden from our past is pushing us to confess or unload?  Is confession really as good for the soul as they say?   I say some secrets should remain buried and untold.

Ignore that inner voice…aka intuition. It’s something we all have, but don’t always pay attention to.  It usually guides us to the truth.  However, it’s often a battle not to let ego, fear, or desire keep us from heeding its wisdom.  If it doesn’t feel right, the feeling shouldn’t be ignored.

Fail to forgive. I have a friend who’s obsessed with being wronged from past relationships. She can’t move forward because her heart is still affected by all the hurt and offenses she sustained through the years. Forgiveness refreshes the soul of the forgiver like a shower refreshes after a sweaty workout.

Miss taking advantage of the moment. Procrastination is not a daily visitor. Savvy people bask in the sweetness of completion.  Tomorrow’s choices aren’t promised.  The focus is on piling as much as you can in 24 hours.

Relive the past.  They forget about the unpleasantness of yesterday. They know it’s all over at midnight.  Each new day is greeted with anticipation for good and with gratitude.

Forego compassion. They extend warmth to everyone they meet. You never know when a kind word can swing a heart from despair.  The story of the freshman teenager, who planned to commit suicide one day after school, and the classmate who sensed his sadness and befriended him is a standout. When he graduated from high school four years later as the class valedictorian, he shared with the audience how the boy’s kind gesture saved his life.

Burn a bridge. You never know who you may need, or whose pardon you may have to beg. Savvy people close the door when needed, but never slam it. The stranger you cursed out this morning in anger could be the nurse you meet in the hospital this evening.

Sleep the signs. They strive to discover the lesson in the bruises and scrapes they incur in life that oftentimes are designed to help us grow and become who we’re supposed to be.