The Toxicity of Gossip

 Why gossip hurts us more than it hurts anyone else.

Posted July 12, 2019

Hannah Rose LCPC

I've been meaning to write this for a while. Every time I think about writing it, though, I stop myself due to fear of judgment and of being gossiped about.

Go figure.

Every morning I write down three lists in my journal: gratitude, affirmations, and intentions.

Almost every single day, the intention of not gossiping is written down. It's a behavior that I can still struggle the most with. I get so easily pulled into the toxicity or drama of another's life and feel this internal urge to chime in, agree, or give my two cents about certain life decisions of another person. Every time, without fail, these behaviors or life choices have absolutely nothing to do with me or my life.

So why do I insert my opinion and stir the pot of gossip?

I'm writing this post with the secondary intention to keep myself accountable and bring the gossiping character defect to my attention. To be honest, it's really difficult writing these words right now. I almost don't want to publish it because I know there may be some ramifications.

All the more reason to write!

The first time the toxicity of gossip was brought to my attention was about four years ago when I first read the book, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. A short, existential read, it propelled me into a state of awareness that I didn't know I wanted to have my eyes opened to.

The first agreement is, "Be impeccable with your word." Ruiz goes into detail about the root of the word "impeccable," stemming from "without sin." He continues to explain and emphasize the importance of using our words wisely, restating over and over that our word has a ripple effect on the people around us.

 More: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/working-through-shame/201907/the-toxicity-of-gossip