"Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution."
- Albert Einstein
Some people live in a world of negativity they have dug themselves so deep into, it's as if being a negative person is their primary identity, which they feel the need to carry out, no matter how miserable it makes them feel. You may know someone like this. Many of us probably have this side of us, where we are determined to be in a bad mood, for whatever reason, and for whatever amount of time we feel we need to get over our feelings being hurt or life not turning out the way we imagined. I'm guilty of that, being human and all. However, those moments are fleeting for me these days. I learned that I can have a day filled with setbacks or negative interactions, but still fall asleep feeling gratitude for all the good stuff that happened too. I don't let any unpleasantness from the day follow me around.
It can be easy to put a spotlight on the current drama unfolding in our lives. The bigger the issue, the bigger the spotlight. We may even fall into the, "Woe is me. Let's have a self-pity party for one while we handle or mishandle this issue." I still do that, but rarely. And if I do, I don't give it more than a few minutes. I got stuff to do! I don't want to settle into a bad mood because life isn't going my way. I have been down that road too many times, and it usually leads to a dead end or an interaction with some other person who is choosing to wallow in their negative circumstances. Misery loves company.
I learned to minimize my interactions with people who I perceive to have a more, glass-is-half-empty, attitude toward life. I stopped inviting their negativity into my life. These are people I interact with in a personal and professional capacity, out of necessity. Whenever they attempt to lure me in with their negative outlook, I let it be known that I want no part of their doom and gloom thinking. I'll either redirect the conversation or end it. I no longer allow people to suck me into their drama. Venting is different. I'm happy to let people vent, but I will cut it off if I feel like it's not helping any longer. For the most part, I aim to keep it positive. That's my permanent address.
Since I started protecting my peace more, and avoiding or limiting negative people and conversations, I noticed how the negative people in my life are chiming in less. And if they do, it's more pleasant. I have not been demanding that people be more positive around me. However, I have been letting them know when I feel the conversation has taken a negative turn, and how I prefer to proceed. I'm speaking up more, and protecting my peace, instead of just allowing them to blather about their life issues. It feels empowering, and it helps reduce the negativity I experience in my life. For me, that's a big win! Hopefully, it's a win for them too. I'm learning that it tends to weed out the people who take it the wrong way. More winning. 😊
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