CONFRONT

Sometimes, you just take one for the team. Sometimes, to spare another person any embarrassment, you don't correct or clarify, you keep quiet; you don't want to expose their weakness, vices, or circumstance; you don't want to call them a liar; you just let them have their say (Maybe dogging you makes them feel better about themselves. I don't know.); you hear stuff, but forgo being offended or defensive; you don't want to ruffle any feathers, or make any waves--until the chatter begins to threaten your existence, integrity, livelihood, efforts, health, or reputation. Then you can't keep quiet any longer--and you're happy that some teacher told you long ago, "Always document".

Words ARE powerful, and can do great harm. What you say about other people DOES matter. Many people get their faces cracked for minding the business of others; for approaching others while armed with a lie. If you're going to go to bat for someone, you'd better know that they're telling you the truth. Go on with your bad self because you feel you HAVE to say something to someone about what someone else TOLD you--but you should do your homework, or stop to think if what they said makes a lick of sense. Go ahead, though. You just might find out something you didn't really want to know...AND get your feelings hurt...AND have to apologize.

Many people miss out on great personal and working opportunities because they believed a liar. Sometimes you have to abandon your fear of confrontation and set people straight--and you need not use any non-Sunday school words, either.

Don't just control the narrative, speak the truth...all of it...publicly if necessary. Like mama used to say, "Wherever you act up, that's where you're gonna get it." Don't delay. No more holding conversations with people who aren't present. Confront. Light is a good thing. Speak the truth. It will shut some things down, and, finally, shut some people up.