Negativity can be contagious if you let it and that will spill over into your work and personal life. Accepting negativity is toxic to your well-being. Below you will find recommendations for handling negativity?
“I never let anyone through my mind with their dirty feet” – Mahatma Gandhi
Not Your Fault. The best answer to negativity is accepting that it has nothing to do with you. Taking negative criticism to heart can weigh you down faster than a ton of bricks. Don’t tie yourself to the baggage of being responsible for a person’s thoughts. Giving people’s opinion more credit than they deserve will only steal your joy and peace, mainly when those insights don’t stop coming and never get better.
“Don’t find fault. Find a remedy” – Henry Ford
Focus on You. Someone who is always in a bad mood or spirits can suck the life out of you. Prioritizing yourself will help you build a stronger character and defense for dealing with such people. Your happiness lies in how much you value yourself, so take that duty seriously. Pursue dreams, take risks, make milestones and that will give you power.
“The mind is everything. What you think you become” – Buddha
Check your Reaction. A natural response to a toxic person may be to hit back similarly or worse. try to reverse the reaction to a negative situation. Answer agitation with calmness and brashness with reason. A few common tactics to calm yourself down may be useful in these cases. Deep breathing works wonders when looking to clear your head. Breathe in and count slowly.
“How you choose to feel today, should not be dependent on others” – Anthon St. Maarten”
Don’t Pay Unnecessary Attention. The more interactions you have with negative people, the stronger their impact in your life. Keeping conversations brief and concise means you don’t have to listen to negative thoughts. Think of negativity as fire, and attention as its fuel. Starve it, and it will die down. Setting boundaries can help a great deal in these situations. Engaging in regular conflict with negative people is paying them too much attention. Know when it’s time to put up a fight and when to let it go.
“You are no advantage to anyone who has your negative attention” – Esther Hicks
Sometimes Speak Up. Letting an individual know that his/her attitude is hurting others may be the wake-up call required. An individual who thinks they are getting away with being toxic to other people may make that space their comfort zone, and that will not help, especially if it’s a family member. Talking to them may bring awareness that will trigger change.
“People inspire you, or disarm you. Pick them wisely”– Hans F. Hansen
Staying Positive. To quote Dr. Robert H. Schuller, “it takes one positive thought that is given a chance to survive and thrive to overpower an army of negative thoughts.” Take time to identify the positivity triggers in your life and always have one on hand when you anticipate an encounter with a negative person such as a motivational quote or a peaceful place in your head where you can retreat to mentally for a minute or two to keep yourself from drowning.
