I almost started this rant last week when I was feeling rather annoyed and irritated. I resisted any action and just let the emotions ride out and now I am hoping to write from a calmer perspective.
Here’s the gist of it– MIND YOUR OWN. Don’t give people advice they did not seek from you. Don’t try to wrangle information from someone by being clever. Don’t stick your nose in matters that have nothing to do with you. Just MIND YOUR OWN.
I’m not saying I don’t mind little bit of gossip. I’ll admit it readily. And yes, perhaps it’s not very nice to talk about people when they’re not there, but it’s part of my nature and oftentimes not malicious. There are only a couple of people I hope karma bites in the ass. But I don’t seek out information from people. I don’t advise them in matters that have absolutely nothing to do with me. At least, I hope I don’t! Instead, I like to just let the information come to me. I’m a good listener for the most part. And if someone wants my opinion, I’ll give it.
And yes, if I am feeling particularly vicious towards someone, I might talk about them in less than glowing terms. But I keep it to myself and My Select Circle. My Select Circle includes the people I trust. I rarely go outside that circle to discuss anything serious. And I certainly don’t bring up things outside my circle when it’s inappropriate or irrelevant At least again, I hope I don’t!
I suppose what I’m trying to say is MIND YOUR OWN. If it has nothing to do with you, don’t stress other people about it. Don’t bring up things that have nothing to do with you, especially if it could get back to the very people you’re talking about.
Perhaps a good test in editing yourself is this: Would you say whatever you’re saying to the person you’re talking about? Let me use myself as an example. Would I call a particular person Stupid Ass Bitch to her face? Not without provocation. So I would not refer to Stupid Ass Bitch as such outside of My Select Circle because it might get back to her. Of course, if SAB, as I like to call her, should happen upon my various online homes and reads about herself, well, tough cookies, eh? But that’s another post for another day.
Sometimes I need to remind myself of the MIND YOUR OWN credo. How much nicer would the world be if most people followed such a simple idea?