Dropping the Negative

This is not a triathlon/running/training type post. You have been warned.

I think of myself as generally a nice person. I HATE when people feel bad, I do everything in my power to not hurt people's feelings. But I think I play into gossip way more than I should. I feel that it is easy for most people to be pulled into negative gossip, especially if it’s under the guise of concern. It’s easy for concern to degrade into a complain fest and have a negative spiral.

Lately I have been paying attention to the actions of people that I really look up to and I have noticed how they don't get involved when gossip starts, shut it down and only have nice constructive things to say. I want to exhibit those qualities too and think that it must have a positive effect on your mental health not to participate in a negative activity.
So the plan is to do my best to not gossip, and to try my best to shut it down when others try to involve me for the rest of the month. Why the rest of the month? It’s not really a scientific choice, saying for the rest of my life seems unrealistic and like I am setting myself up for failure. I wanted a short enough time period that wasn’t overwhelming but was long enouph that I would be able to hopefully see a difference in how I feel. I know I won’t be perfect but the goal is to be conscious of what I am saying about others and what I am participating in.
What do think about gossip? Harmless, Hurtful, don’t care?
We will return to our regularly scheduled Triathlon blogging tomorrow. Happy Friday the 13th all!