Talking about yourself

I was passing by a local business that always has life lessons and catchy phrases on its electronic sign, and I really liked what it said today.

"What you speak about others speaks a lot about yourself."

I realize that gossip is wrong, but the reason I usually think of is that gossip is often judgmental. Many of the stories that we repeat about people have facts missing and aren't passed along for reasons other than anger, annoyance or glee at someone else's misfortune.

I like this phrase though, because it reminds us that whenever we talk about other people we should really consider what we are saying, because we are also telling a lot about ourselves.

If we make fun of what people wear, judge them for mistakes they've made or talk about their relationship problems, we show what we are thinking. We show that we care more about the outside than the inside of a person, that we are self-righteous enough to think that we are better than their mistakes or that our life is perfect compared to someone else's.

Take record of what you say and see what it says about you.