Rumors! Why its Best to NOT Entertain

posted first by Al Bell on October 7, 2019

Dealing with Rumors: Why its best to Not Entertain

Rumors! We all have had to deal with them at some point. They can be informative if received the right way but most often they are received as fact and this unfortunately can have a negative impact for those who have given in to the content.

For the most part the later is true of rumors. Regardless of the obvious non-factual content surrounding the rumor the human mind seems to give in to its magnetic draw which opens the door for unnecessary stress and worry.

In this post I want to provide a few enlightening keys to ensure one does not give in to a rumors deadly magnetic pull.

First, let’s define a rumor.

A Rumor is a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty of facts.

The first part of the definition points out that a rumor is a statement or story. This should give one all he/she needs to put things to rest but as intrigue would have it, this is normally not the case.

Firstly, most of the time one cannot help delving into the infamous water-cooler talk. This is a time we can spend with others talking about the juicy points of the story. This alone should be enough to not go any further but the intrigue of the story and the imagination of the mind help to keep the story alive.

Secondly, most stories are just that, stories with no fact.

Think of the times when we were told a story in our younger days. The imagination of the story and the way it was shared helped to make the story live and believable. The story in the end was no doubt, a story. Designed to peak our imagination and create a world of intrigue.

The desire for this world of imagination seems to still yurn within as one assumes adulthood and are engaged in the various aspects of life.

So, though it may seem difficult to not listen and entertain the rumor, here are a few suggestions to keep one from being consumed by the story mentally and to stay focus throughout.

Go straight to the source in order to find out what’s real and fact. Most of the time this is a good resource to dispel any non factual information
Personally develop boundaries when it comes to what stories(Rumors) are accepted and what stories will not be accepted.
Beware of the unhealthy/healthy physical response. Presented in the form of stress, this can be a clear cut sign that one has accepted the story(statements) as fact as opposed to a story. One can begin to either be too excited or worried when hearing the details of the story. Believing the story as truth although nothing has really happened will not be a good option.
Consider who is circulating the story or statements. Knowing the source of the story can help to determine its’ validity.
Adopt a patient mindset. Many times giving time to a story will reveal the facts. Being patient about things can really help. A rash approach could bring about sadness because one may have been too excited and involved with the original statement only to find out the opposite of the story is true.