5 Tips for Handling Negative People

5 Tips for Handling Negative People

“People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong…Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?”

- Thich Nhat Hanh

We all know at least one person who always seems negative. They seem to complain about everything. The weather. Their children. Their jobs. After a while, you notice that all they do is talk about things they don’t enjoy.

What’s worse is that they seldom do anything about the things that bother them. They stay in jobs they hate and relationships that don’t bring them joy.

Not only is this frustrating, it is incredibly draining. Being around negative people saps your energy. In makes you feel tired and pretty soon, you may start to believe the same things about your life. On the other hand, surrounding yourself with positive people can also influence your life for the better.

Are you constantly around negative people?

Here are some tips on handling them or other conversations that sap your energy and don’t inspire success.

1) Steer the conversation. If a friend starts being negative, try to steer the conversation in a more positive way. For example, if a friend starts complaining about the rain say, “Yes, but I love the way it makes all my flowers grow.”

For every negative thing you hear, retaliate with a positive take on the situation. Perhaps the person doesn’t realize just how negative they really are.

2) Avoid gossip. Gossip is a form of negativity. Unfortunately, it’s everywhere. Gossip newspapers line the shelves at the supermarkets. A family calls you with the latest family “news”. A coworker wants to tell you about another coworker. Not only does gossiping waste precious time, it isn’t healthy.

Politely tell people that you aren’t interested in gossip and will form your own opinions about people.

Also avoid celebrity gossip, as this can be just as damaging to your life. Gossip often breeds envy when in reality, you can accomplish things in your...