Share, don’t spill. Not everyone at the table needs the whole pot.

Telling somebody what is going on and emptying the whole thing onto the table are two different moves. Spilling tends to happen when you are overwhelmed and the nearest person becomes wherever it lands, which is heavy for them and often leaves you feeling exposed by morning. Sharing means choosing what to say and who to say it to.

Before you start, decide what you want from the conversation: advice, company, or just being heard. Say the headline first. You can always go further later, but you cannot take back the version you gave somebody who was not ready to hold it.