Learning to Mind Your Own Business

We all gossip. It's just a part of life, whether you're in school, the workforce, or visiting with family members. People are interested in the affairs of one another's lives. However, there are certain situations where your interest, or interest in sharing information, causes more harm than it's worth. Here's a list of times where it's probably best to mind your own business.

When you don't know the person in question- time to butt out! If you do not personally know the individual involved, it's time to mind your own business. Giving your opinion will only add more strands to what is likely a tangled web, making a bigger mess than it does help. If you do not personally know an individual involved in some gossip, or know them well, don't get involved yourself.

When it's someone you work with- keep your mouth shut. Even if they're a buddy of yours, commenting on gossip about them is likely to get you, and them, in trouble. Gossip at work has a nasty habit of spinning out of control, and if it gets to a superior, it could have consequences. If you don't mind your own business, you may find yourself the subject of scrutiny for frivolous behavior on company time, or see your friend in trouble for something that may, or may not, be true. Just keep your mouth shut.

When it's potentially serious- stay out of it. If the gossip mill is circulating about something that is big- and I mean, really big- it's tempting to get all the juicy details. However, things like a pregnancy, arrest, break up, or other events are emotionally charged. It's one thing to chew the fat about a possible move or a new haircut, but major life events are a different story. You're likely to cause some kind of offense when you play with fire like that, so to avoid the burn, just mind your own business.

In a perfect world, we would all mind our own business all the time. Really, if it doesn't explicitly pertain to you, or if your opinion is not solicited by someone party to the actual situation, then you shouldn't be involved in drama- which is what gossip usually is. Realistically, however, gossip is a part of our every day lives. The trick is to know when to listen, and when to just mind your own business completely!