Quick Tips For Dealing With Negative People

The people in your life may not always deliver the positivity and good vibes you’re looking for. In fact, you might find yourself surrounded by people who seem to do the exact opposite.

Negative people are everywhere. They can be in your office, your circle of friends, even your family. Sometimes, the easiest solution is to simply detach yourself from the negative people.

However, there are times when removing yourself from the relationship isn’t possible.

So, what can you do to deal with negative people in a way that allows you to preserve your own wellbeing and mental health?

Let’s find out.

Counter with Positivity

If you’re an empathetic person, being surrounded by negative people can be seriously problematic. It can often lead to feelings of negativity which seep into your own life.

The best way to avoid this is to counteract the negative energy exuded by someone else with positive energy. For instance, if someone says, “Work is going to be terrible tomorrow”, don’t automatically agree.

Empathize by letting the person know you’re sorry they feel that way, then question the concept. Is there any reason you should feel the same? How can you argue that tomorrow is going to be a good day instead?

Avoid Arguments

Sometimes being positive won’t help the situation. Some people simply refuse to let go of a bad mood when they’re in one. If your friend is convinced that they’re going to have a bad day at work, arguing and saying, “No you won’t,” won’t help anything.

Rather, getting involved in the argument will often mean that you end up in a bad mood with your friend, which further impacts your emotions. If you’re concerned the conversation will turn into an argument, don’t say anything at all.

Say Something Empathetic

If you’ve ever had a conversation where you told someone you were stressed and they told you to just relax or not to worry in response, you know how frustrating that can be. Generally, the better option is to simply empathize with the other person.

If someone says, “I feel like I did really badly in that meeting,” tell them you understand how stressful it can be to present to a room full of people. If appropriate, you can then share your opinion and say you felt they did well.

Get to Know “Negative” People

Sometimes, the easiest way to deal with negative people is to know how to recognize them. When you can identify someone in your social circle with a negative mindset, you can take steps to avoid situations where their negativity might rub off on you.

For instance, if you know someone who always seems to be negative when it comes to talking about work, avoid talking with them about work unless you have to.

Choosing your conversational topics carefully will help you avoid getting into exhausting discussions with people who you know will only be negative.

When you do have to talk about problematic topics with a negative person, don’t expect them to see your side of things. Stick with saying things like, “I see what you mean”.

Avoid Alone Time

If someone in your social or professional circle is a negative person, and you know this rubs off on you, the best thing you can do is find a buffer.

For instance, rather than sitting alone at a table with your annoying Aunt for too long, bring a friend or your partner with you to the discussion.

If you always butt heads with a negative person in your office, try to approach them when other people are around so you’re not having one-on-one conversations too often.

Having an extra person around can ensure you don’t have to take on the brunt of the conversation, and the feelings of negativity that come with it.

Learn to Distance

Finally, it’s important to find a way to distance yourself from negative people.

Some people are just naturally more negative than others, and no matter what you do, you won’t be able to shift them towards a positive state of mind. You just need to accept their negativity and take a step back.

If you ask the other person if there’s anything you can do to help, and they say no, you might just have to admit defeat.

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Cheers, Helene Malmsio

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