I also do not like gossip and I do not participate in it. Yes, I think that some people trust me and respect me because I don't gossip but also, every now and then, I feel a little left out. I don't want to be part of their gossip games but I still want to be a part of the group.

I have learned to be more of a leader of the group and be a little assertive about changing the conversation to a better topic. It is just my opinion, but I think some people gossip because they have poor communication skills and gossiping is easier for them than other types of conversations. So, if I lead the conversation a little bit it makes it easier for them to talk about things that are not gossip.

I think when there is a group of people who are all gossiping they tend to feed off each other and sometimes it is hard to get a word in on the conversation because people are so caught up in the excitement of the gossip. I worked in an office that was like that and I found out that it was easier if I talked with just one or a few of them at a time.

Zen, stick to what you believe to be right because in the long run the most important person you need to respect is yourself.