As enticing as it is to gossip, it may not prove to be the most wholesome way to use your time.
Most of us can admit that hearing the latest “hot tea” (as they refer to it now) can be extremely entertaining. However, in the long run it turns out that gossip is just junk food for your mind. Read on to find out why you should ditch gossiping today.
1. Gossip can be harmful to your health.
At a first glance gossip may seem like a harmless pass time but, studies have shown that gossip can even become detrimental to your health leading to anxiety and depression. It can leave you feeling exhausted and drained. If rumors are being spread about you, you may end up feeling isolated and depressed which could lead to suicidal thoughts. If you are the one spreading rumors in the long run you may start feeling guilty or ashamed. None of these feelings add anything positive to you or others!
2. It is a major distractor.
We may not realize, but gossiping takes up huge amounts of time — which could leave you behind on work or projects. It also distracts our minds from being able to focus on solving our own issues. When we constantly fill our minds with idle talk of other people and how they "could" or "should" fix their lives... it doesn't leave us with much time to think about our own!
3. Gossip can hurt your reputation.
Words are more than just words, they are a reflection of who we are. Research indicates that people who gossip alot are percieved as less trustworthy by their co-workers and friends. When your go to conversation is gossip, this can cause others to have a lack of faith in what you say or cause them not to share personal information with you for fear that you will spread it to others.
4. Gossip can be the foundation of “fake friends”.
Some argue that gossip is a great way to connect with others and start friendships. However if your friendships are built on mutual disdain for others, I would think twice about the depth of the relationship. If most of your time with someone is spend talking about others… wouldn’t you stop to think that this person most likely may be gossiping about you when you aren’t together?
Quick tip: Next time someone wants to entice you with gossiping about another person it can easily be diffused by saying something positive about that person instead!
Verses to meditate on:
Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. - Proverbs 26:20
Ephesians 4:29
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Proverbs 18:8
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
References:
https://pairedlife.com/friendship/Fake-friends-5-warning-signs-they-are-ruining-your-life
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-excess/201608/addicted-gossip
https://www.webmd.com/balance/health-rumors-gossip#1
https://www.hope-rehab-center-thailand.com/blog/lets-talk-about-gossip/