Knowing how to identify these people is essential to maintaining their peace and preserving healthy relationships
Living with a gossip person can give a headache…
In addition to spreading distorted information, it can affect your reputation and shake relationships.
The problem is that, often, this kind of behavior is disguised as sympathy or “worry.”
Therefore, it is important to be aware.
6 tips for protecting and unmasking a gossip
1. Beware of the search for attention
First of all, it is important to pay attention to how this person behaves in groups.
A gossiping person wants to always be the centers of attention.
Normally, it interrupts conversations, changes the subject and uses stories about others as a way of drawing attention to you.
Therefore, when you notice someone always trying to master conversations and diverting the focus to gossip, be alert.
The best way to protect yourself in this case is to avoid providing personal information and maintaining some emotional distance.
2. Ask exaggerations and distortions
In addition, it is common for a gossip person to beautify the facts to make them more “interesting”.
It can increase details, create tension where it does not exist and transform something simple into a great controversy.
Listening to a too sensational story, be wary.
Seek to confirm the facts before taking any action or passing on the information.
3. Observe empathy – or lack of it
Another important point to observe is empathy – or rather the lack of it.
People who live in gossip usually do not consider the impact of their words on the lives of others.
They can criticize, laugh or judge without caring about the feelings of others.
This way, if you realize that the person speaks with insensitivity or lack of compassion, maintain care.
4. Distribute quick judgments
Generally, those who gossip a lot also often judge too much. And the worst: he judges without knowing all sides of history.
This hasty and negative behavior can reveal a lot about one’s intention.
When you notice that someone lives by pointing out defects in others, questioning choices or putting themselves in a position of superiority, face as a warning sign.
The best answer here is not to get involved and, whenever possible, change the course of the conversation to something more constructive.
5. Test to Confidentiality
If the doubt still persists, there is an efficient way to take the test: count on false but harmless information, and see what happens.
Gossip people have difficulty keeping secrets, and this usually appears quickly.
Of course, it is essential to be careful with this type of test.
Choose something simple, which does not generate problems just to evaluate the person’s discretion.
If the information comes back to you by other mouths, you already know who you are dealing with.
6. Establish limits
Finally – and perhaps the most important – it is essential to learn to protect themselves by establishing limits.
You don’t have to be rude, but it may, yes, make it clear that it does not condone with gossip and prefer to talk about healthier issues.
Redire negative conversations, practice active listening to better understand the intentions behind the words and, if necessary, say no firmly.
Also, strengthen ties with people who value respect and trust.
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