When I hear the word gossip, I immediately feel myself shrinking. I do not like gossip, I do not like to hear it and I don’t like to be around it. That being said, we are all human, so anyone who says that they don’t gossip is not being a hundred percent truthful. You may not be the person who is gossiping to others or spreading it, but if you are listening to it, then you are participating in it. Truth.
SadIy, I am at fault myself. There are definitely those people that I encounter who like to gossip and eagerly share something with me. I have the choice to shut it down, or continue participating in the conversation. I am just as guilty as the person gossiping if I do not stop it. Sometimes neutrality has no virtue, and with gossip this is surely the case. I use to think that if I did not say anything in contribution, and was a vault with what was told to me that I was not gossiping. False and weak. I now know that in order to end the gossip we need to stop it as it’s starting.
By the way I am not saying it’s wrong if your best friend comes to you with some difficulty and they need to share or vent to gain perspective. We all need to have that one friend whom we trust with our lives. That someone who can help us navigate through life and help us rise up to our best self. I’m being very specific…we all know the ones who like to as we call it “stir the pot.” Leave the pot alone and go plant a garden instead. You’ll feel a lot better and so will the gossiper.
