TOP TEN TIPS FOR HEALING with WORDS:

1. Bite your tongue before you gossip; your tongue will hurt, but your friends won't.

2. Stop yourself from gossiping by changing the subject mid-sentence; only you will notice.

3. Never say derogatory things about yourself; people might agree with you.

4. Never use humor to put others down; joking around usually comes around.

5. Speak sweetly, so if you have to eat your words, they won't taste so bad.

6. The gossip game always takes turns; the only way to avoid being "it" is to stop playing.

7. Trust makes a friendship; gossip takes it away.

8. You are the proud owner of a set of ears; use them at your own discretion.

9. To get friends who won't gossip about you, you must be a friend who won't gossip about them.

10. Stamp out gossip by voting with your feet; just walk away if someone gossips.