How I Deal With Negativity

We all know those people. The people that seem to always find something wrong with a situation / cannot find light in anything. It can sometimes be overwhelming to be around those types of people (especially in the work place). It can also be overwhelming to constantly be thinking negatively. Today I’ve decided to share a couple of ways to deal with negativity.

Realizing they may have something else going on

Whenever someone acts a certain way, in the back of my mind I always have the question; “are they really mad/annoyed at me or is there something else going on?”. I have heard countless times that you never really know what’s going on in the background, and it’s so true! Whenever someone is being negative about something, I try and not take it to heart because in reality, I don’t know what they may be dealing with.

Accepting others for who they are

I myself am a very cheerful person, so it can be hard for me when people are negative for no “good” reason (I say that lightly because to me, there may not be any reason why someone would be negative). I have to remind myself that not everyone is cheerful and positive all of the time and that it’s okay to be like that. I want to accept people like I expect people to accept me for who I am.

Focusing on the positives

Whenever there is a negative situation, I like to try to see the light in it. It can be especially hard when you work with someone that is very negative all of the time. My strategy is for every negative thing they say, I try to reply with a positive. For example:

Them: “Ugh today sucks because there are so many people here/things going on!”

Me: “Yes there is, but it’s making the day go by really fast!”

By steering the conversation towards a positive outcome, it helps me to really focus on the positive rather than dwell on the negatives.

Distance from the negative

The best way to deal with the negativity is to not have it around! I know I said that you should accept people for who they are, and that is true. However, if you are able to surround yourself with people who are more positive, optimistic and determined, you yourself are more likely to be that way.

Understanding yourself

I have done a great deal of self reflection over the past couple years. I have found that if I choose to dwell on the negative aspects of life, I become very anxious and I will feel hopeless. By doing self reflection, I am able to understand my thought process and I can try and tweak it so that I am thinking in a more positive way rather than a negative way.

Tell yourself positive mantras

If you are in a situation that seems endlessly negative, an excellent and healthy way to deal with it is to say to yourself/read positive affirmations. Take a step back, and think about what you are thankful for. Think* about things that make you happy and bring peace to you. Some of my favourite examples to say/think about are:

• I am thankful for my friends and family
• I am happy with who I am
• *Looking out of the window on a sunny day*
• I am happy to be alive
• I am doing my best
• *the first thunderstorm of the year, windows open, peaceful music playing*
• I have the power to create change

These are just a few of the examples I like but there are hundreds out there that you can use (found on google, Pinterest, etc.).

You can never truly stop having negative thoughts, it’s how you deal with them that is important. Instead of letting them overcome you, try and use these tips to steer them into a positive light.

I hope these few tips can help you on managing negative people/situations effectively. Although I am a pretty positive person, I am still constantly learning about myself and how to deal with negativity. I know these strategies help me and I hope they do for you aswell!

Thank you for reading!

xox

Carli 🙂