LIFE

Dear Carol,
One of my friends has been talking trash about everyone in our crew, including me. She's nice to me face-to-face, but then starts badmouthing me to our friends when I'm not around. She clearly doesn't like me. How do I get rid of her?
—Tired of It

Dear Tired of It,
She clearly doesn't like you? All that's clear is that she likes to gossip. And now the rest of you are talking about her behind her back, too. This behavior among groups of friends is normal, but mean spirit gossip can be destructive. Instead of trying to get rid of your friend, can you help her change her ways? Next time she wants to trash someone nice, say, "Nodody's perfect, but I like her, so I don't want to criticize her." Kindness beats cruelty every time. And next time the girls want to dish, pick a celeb or dissect a character in a new movie or book. The world can be hard enough—friends should support friends. 

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by Carol Weston | 7/17/2017