Wit & Wisdom with Rúna, the journal blog series

Welcome to "Wit & Wisdom with Rúna," my journal-blog series where humour meets profound insight on the rollercoaster ride of life, leadership, and self-discovery.  

In this journal-blog series, my intention is to authentically peel back the layers of my life's crossroads and delve into the quirky realities of self-discovery and leadership.  

Join me as we navigate the complexities of breaking free from societal boxes, embracing our authentic selves, and finding contentment in being in the flow, all while laughing at the absurdity and beauty of it all.  

"Wit & Wisdom with Rúna" is my journal blog; it explores the journey to trust my flow to become better, bolder, and brighter as me.

Gossiping - The Art of Finger Gymnastics

The Mirror’s Edge: Reflecting on the Echoes of Gossip

Wednesday, February 7th 2024

Wit & Wisdom Journal Blog #2

Hey, pzzz…Have you heard about....x y z!? What happened to you right there when you saw that sentence? Did your eyebrow light up, and you wanted to learn more?

I've been thinking about gossip lately, as several really juicy stories are flowing around in Iceland these days.

A competitive sport or fingers and tongue? 

Have you ever noticed how gossiping is like a competitive sport, where your fingers and tongue are the only muscles you need?  

Here's what I think – in the grand arena of gossip, when we point one finger at someone else, the other four are doing a sneaky U-turn right back at us!

Just have a look for yourself - point your finger at the screen right now... see there is one finger on the screen, but the rest ... (hopefully four are pointing at you!)

So, why do we do it? Why do we relish juicy gossip as if it were the last slice of chocolate cake at a party? Is it because whispering about Betty's latest fashion disaster or Bob's third failed attempt at a start-up gives us a break from the monotony of our own lives?  

Or is it something more profound?

Picture this as a made-up example: It's a lazy Sunday afternoon, and you're at a family gathering. You've just spent the last hour explaining why you're still single, job-hopping, or, heaven forbid, not into Game of Thrones. You're about to be anointed with unsolicited advice when suddenly, Aunt Gertrude starts spilling the tea on Cousin Nancy's new "business venture" (which suspiciously looks like a pyramid scheme).  

Suddenly, all eyes are on Nancy, not you.  

Would you go...Phew, disaster averted, thanks to the Gossip Relay?

But let's dissect this, shall we? Is our eagerness to dissect Nancy's life choices a smokescreen? A way to deflect the spotlight from our own collection of quirky life decisions?  

If life were a stage, gossip would be the smoke machine, creating a misty distraction from the actual show – us!

Think about this plot twist!

If we got a dollar every time we gossiped, we'd all be millionaires, but if we got self-esteem points for every time we chose kindness over scandal, we'd be billionaires of the heart.

The truth is, we're all a bit like magicians using sleight of hand. We dazzle the audience with stories about others while our deck of cards is hidden away from view. It's a performance art where we're the illusionists and the escape artists, wriggling out of the tight spot of self-reflection.

Next time you catch yourself about to dive into the latest scandal, remember the finger gymnastics and ask yourself: "Am I trying to escape my own Houdini act?" 

I laugh at myself when I fall flat into this scenario --- asking myself (and I invite you to ask yourself):

What if... you could look at your true, authentic self in the mirror and love that person --- meaning yourself --- with all your heart.  

Would we be as excited to hear the latest gossip if we loved ourselves more? 

Until next time, keep those fingers nimble, but use them for applause, not pointing – unless you're pointing at a mirror with a smile, acknowledging the fabulous oddity that is you; think of Joey in Friends, we might ask 'How you doin'?' but maybe we should be asking, 'How am I doing?' 

And that's the wit and wisdom for today: 

Gossip might be the world's oldest form of entertainment, but self-awareness is the encore we all need to stick around for.

Bless, bless (Icelandic for bye, bye)

Reykjavík, Iceland, February 7th 2024.

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Personal branding, leadership and development books by Rúna Magnús