Why are people living lies????

I am not usually a watcher of Oprah, but today as I was flipping through channels I came across it and thought I would watch it.

It was about Debt and something Oprah has started a series on her show called the "Debt Diet" Today was episode 4 of the series. She has 3 couples who are at wits end with money. They all have different stories, but all have one common theme they are ready to file for Bankruptcy. She has 3 experts, a panel of professionals who each help a family and give them a HUGE wake up call. They have steps they have to follow:

1. recognize how much debt you owe
2. track your spending
3. learn how to play the credit card game
4. stop spending
5. create a plan
6. take steps to grow your income

One of the couples had invited over a bunch (about 20) of their friends and told them they had a huge secret to tell them. Their friends were all excited and also worried about what this secret was. The couple came out and told each of them that they were living a lie. That what everyone saw on the outside wasn't true. The trips they took, the cars they drove, the clothes they wore.. all lies. They said they have over $43,000 in debt. They wrote the number down on a poster board for all their friends to see. The wife broke down and cried and was very embarassed. Their friends were very supportive when the couple told them to please not invite them out for dinners, coffee at starbucks, shopping and so on. Next week is the series finale and we find out how the couples have turned their lives around.

It got me to think.. why are people living a lie? I do it too. I have many credit cards and I honestly have a spending problem. I do ... there my secret is out. I love the way it feels to purchase something online. To have that brown box waiting for me when i get home from work. I am not ashamed to say this.

I work fulltime and my husband is a student. He is currently doing an internship with no pay... it isn't rocket science... we are really at wits end. The next six months are going to be tough, but he will be done with school in Dec. So there.. you all who read this.. know my secret. Peter and I have a massive amount of debt, we will be paying it off for many years. It is tough to get a grip on this, but we don't let this define who we are. We have 2 great boys, we are renting a nice place to live, have food on our table and gas in our cars.

What is your secret? Why are you living a lie??? Don't be ashamed... we all have one.