Gossiping Can Literally Make You Sick. Here’s How!
Who doesn’t gossip you may ask? But did you know gossiping can actually make you sick? Before we get into this, I have a few questions for you.
Do you ever feel stuck in life, battling a disease or a condition, or trapped in an unfulfilling relationship? How do we move from feeling stuck to building something extraordinary for ourselves? How do we transition from ill health to wellness? It all begins with a reminder: we have one life and finite time. You and I—we have limited time, yet we often forget this simple truth.
We wake up each day, taking life, relationships, and the people who love us for granted. We focus on things that seem important in the moment but do nothing to truly enhance our well-being. Chasing after what boosts our egos only leaves us feeling empty and miserable inside.
In my nine years of working with patients, I’ve seen the devastating effects of disease. Only about 4-5% of the people I treat are genetically predisposed to illness—meaning, no matter how healthy they are, their genes inevitably lead to disease. But what about the other 96%? These are lifestyle diseases, and one of the biggest culprits is emotional health.
Yes, nutrition, exercise, and sleep are critical, but your emotional wellness? It controls everything. When you’re emotionally unwell—feeling low, tired, negative, angry, or sad—you don’t crave nutritious food. Instead, you reach for junk food. That’s why the junk food industry thrives, marketing comfort foods filled with sugar, salt, and harmful fats that only worsen your health. Coupled with inactivity, these foods zap your energy, making it harder to exercise and leading to even worse health outcomes.
Emotional wellness is the foundation of your overall health. Without it, you can’t sleep well, and sleep deprivation is linked to inflammation, low immunity, and almost every disease imaginable. So, let’s break down the importance of emotional health and how it ties into everyday choices, including something as seemingly harmless as gossip.
The Trash We Allow Into Our Minds
If you have a home, do you allow it to fill up with dirt and trash? Do you invite enemies or people you dislike into your space? No, you protect it. You safeguard it because your home is sacred. Yet, when it comes to our minds and hearts, why don’t we show the same level of protection?
Why do we allow garbage—negative thoughts, toxic people, harmful content—into our minds? Why do we let ourselves absorb things that demoralize us, shape our beliefs, and ultimately dictate our behavior?
Every day, we are bombarded with information. More than ever, we need to guard what goes into our minds. Consider how you protect your children from inappropriate content. You don’t allow them to watch violent or adult-rated movies because you know that exposure can shape their beliefs and behaviors. The same applies to your own mind. The more we allow toxic influences in, the more they change us.
The Danger of Gossip
Let’s talk about gossip. Many people think it’s harmless, even fun. Venting every now and then is natural, but when gossip becomes a habit, it becomes poison. It slowly adds bitterness and resentment into your life, even if you don’t realize it.
The worst part? Most of the time, you don’t even know if the gossip is true. Gossip is built on assumptions, hearsay, and often outright lies. You’re absorbing someone else’s narrative, and that narrative can create fears, anxieties, and negative emotions in your own life—even when the gossip isn’t true.
Moreover, gossip destroys relationships and communities. It spreads negativity and creates divisions. People gossip to feel important, to elevate their self-worth. But here’s the lesson: the same people gossiping about others will eventually gossip about you. It’s only a matter of time.
When you engage in gossip, you lower your energy, your vibrational frequency. It might feel fun in the moment, but it’s not real happiness. That fleeting satisfaction quickly turns into something darker—resentment, insecurity, and sadness.
The Three-Filter Test: Socrates’ Wisdom on Gossip
One of my favorite stories that perfectly ties into this subject is about **Socrates,** the ancient Greek philosopher. Someone approached him one day, eager to share some gossip about a friend. But before letting the person speak, Socrates asked him three important questions:
1. Is it true? The man admitted he didn’t know whether the gossip was true.
2. Is it kind? No, the man said, it wasn’t kind.
3. Is it useful? Again, the man said no.
Socrates then told the man, “You want to tell me something that isn’t true, isn’t kind, and isn’t useful. Why tell me anything at all?”
This lesson is just as relevant today. Apply the three-filter test before letting gossip—or any negative information—into your mind. Ask yourself: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it useful? If the answer to any of these is no, then it has no place in your life.
Protecting Your Mental Space
When we mindlessly expose ourselves to negative influences—whether through gossip, toxic relationships, or harmful media—it shapes our beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors. It lowers our energy and creates unnecessary stress, anxiety, and negativity. Over time, this emotional burden can literally make you sick.
Just like you wouldn’t allow your home to be filled with trash, don’t allow your mind and heart to be filled with garbage. Be mindful of what you listen to, who you spend time with, and what you expose yourself to. Your emotional health is at stake, and it affects every other area of your life—your physical health, your relationships, and your happiness.
A Final Thought
So, the next time someone tries to bring gossip into your life, remember Socrates’ three filters. Guard your mind and heart as carefully as you guard your home. Choose wisely what you allow into your mental space because it will shape your reality, your actions, and ultimately, your health.
It’s time to stop focusing on the things that drain our energy and start investing in the things that uplift and empower us. Your health, happiness, and life depend on it.
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