Are you looking for ways to deal with negative people? Having to face negative people on a daily basis can be downright exhausting. It’s like their lives are so horrible that they want to ruin the joy of everyone else around them. Fortunately you don’t have to fight fire with fire. Follow these 8 ways to deal with negative people to improve your interactions with these killjoys.
Some people are just so caught up in the bad that they can’t see anything else. You don’t have to play into their suck fest. It’s okay to listen to their woes and offer support, but know when to draw the line. If time after to time you are listening to the same sad story of negativity, this might be your cue to back off and disengage from that person.Try changing the subject or offering simple replies that don’t give much to feed off of. Keep reading for more ways to deal with negative people.
You may be like me, and the Negative Nancy is a member of your family. It’s hard to get away from them or make a clean break. Luckily you can finagle your way out of any one-on-one time by planning group gatherings. This works in several ways. First, you will have more people around to absorb some of the negativity. It won’t all be deflected on to you. Second, maybe some good energy will rub off and lighten the mood considerably.
Some people are just negative and critical. While their comments may come off as harsh and hurtful, it is likely that they don’t mean to cause anyone to feel badly. Some negative people may not realize how their sarcasm and harsh words affect others. Learn to objectify their comments and understand that in this case, it really isn’t you, it’s all them.
If you are close to a negative person then you have probably learned what topics get them fired up and spitting out discontent. Avoid those topics as much as possible. If your friend never has anything good to say about her job, then don’t ask her how her day at work was, unless you are ready to hear all the crummy details.
If these negative people aren’t ready or willing to change their mood dampening ways, then maybe its time for you to find someone or else to spend your time with. The last thing you want is for their bitterness to rub off on you. You have probably already noticed how your mood is affected by their negativity. There really isn’t any reason to let their inability to see the good in life ruin your day.
Sometimes negative people just need someone to remind them of all the great things in life. Remind your friend that she should be thankful that she has a job and makes good money even if the work can be crappy from time to time. Tell your sister how much you admire her for being such a great mother and the special moments she shares with her children. It is easy to get caught up in the doom and gloom. We all need someone to help us find the silver lining.
Of course there are times when it is okay to just throw in the towel and walk away. It’s not your job to fix the world, you can’t allow someone else's negativity to take over your happiness. If your efforts haven’t made a difference and you are feeling drained by them, than no one can blame you for wanting drop that person from your life.
Tell me about your experience dealing with negative people? What were some ways you tried to offset their negativity?