
Is it true? Watch those embellishments. A story can be made more interesting if we stray from the facts.
Is it kind? Watch that ‘schandenfreude’. A story isn’t kind when told at someone else’s expense as a way to elevate ourselves.
Is it necessary (useful)? This one is the biggest challenge. Most stories aren’t necessary as far as life and death is concerned. We tell them to enrich our lives and the lives of others, hopefully in useful ways. Be sure to clear out the negatives before accepting the usefulness.
One way to monitor ourselves is by asking, “If the person about whom I’m telling this story were here, would I tell it in this exact way?” If the answer is ‘yes’, go for it; your answers have passed the ‘Three Sieves Test.’