How to Deal with Negative People

Does the energy of other people bring you down? Maybe it’s your family members, co-workers or friends that you’ve distanced from over time. When negativity surrounds you, it’s easy to soak up that energy and feel negative yourself. This can make you feel drained and mess up your mindset. That is why it is important to be around those you easily connect with and who lift your spirits. However, that may not always be possible because we don’t get to choose our family or co-workers. But still, there are ways in which we can keep the negativity from clouding our minds and stay positive through situations. Read on for ways to deal with negative people so they don’t get into your head.

How Negativity Impacts You

When anybody asks me to do something from a place of frustration and panic, it makes me feel frustrated and panicked too. If the same person took the effort to gather their composure before asking me for a favor, I’d be able to oblige from a similar place as well.

Sometimes, putting up with another person’s negativity is more than a one-time thing. Everybody experiences frustration once in a while but there are also those people who seem to constantly bring down our energy. Occasionally, it’s an entire environment of people whose goals seem to be different than yours. Whatever it is, you can feel their impact on yourself when you’re around them.

It is natural to absorb the mood of those around us. So how to deal with toxic people when we can’t escape them? Here are a few tips.

How to Deal with Toxic People

1. Detach

Understand that the way people act has little to do with you. Detaching yourself from their frustrations and refusing to internalize them as your fault will help deal with toxic people. They have their own issues to work through and that responsibility is on their shoulder, not yours.

2. Avoid blame

Don’t assume, blame or attack them. If you ask someone not to be negative, it won’t usually go well. Instead, try showing this person the empathy and compassion you want them to show you. Make sure they don’t walk all over you in the process.

3. Respond calmly

Respond in the same manner that you would want them to talk to you. Try not to be passive-aggressive because that does not help either party. If you feel another person is putting others down or gossiping, try changing the topic or simply walk away.

4. Be firm

Establish boundaries clearly. If a line has been crossed, intentionally or unintentionally, let it be known. You have to learn how to stand up for your beliefs, time and energy because other people will take advantage of these things if you don’t.

5. Focus on the positive

Find out what gives you positive energy. This could be certain individuals, shows, activities, books etc. Identify whatever it is that makes you feel positive and seek it out often, even more so when you feel drained out by the toxicity of others. The best way to be happy when someone else’s negativity is dragging you down constantly is to walk away, even if that means forever.

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you with some tips on how to deal with toxic people. If you figure out ways to stay calm and secure your own energy, negativity from others will gradually stop affecting you.