To be better about dealing with negative people do these 7 things.

Some people have a difficult time appreciating anything positive.

They find fault in everything, and their method of communication is littered with negativity.

Several months ago, a person dropped by a LinkedIn post suggesting “my message was flawed” because my “outlook” was inaccurate.

The video was about overcoming the fear of failure.?His point, more people fear success.?

My response, we are both right and I write about both extensively.?People do fear success but this 24 second video was about why people fear failure.?Sounds simple, right?

Not for a negative person that seeks confrontation.

Any attempt to point out the obvious is meet with disdain and defensiveness.?These people immediately push back if they feel their beliefs are being questioned.

So how do we handle overly sensitive people that have a dark cloud looming over their head?

“It is important to surround yourself with people who lift you up, encourage you, share your vision and inspire you”.?Les Brown

Here are 7 ways to confront negative people:

Boundaries

It may sound selfish, but we must limit our interaction with negative people.?Negative people can drain our positive energy and the effect of their negative behavior has health consequences.?Set firm boundaries with negative people and refuse to let them dull our enthusiasm.?

Speak

We need to learn to speak up for ourselves, fight back, and still be respectful and kind.???When we remain silent the message is clear.?We are doormats and we offer an invitation for the perpetrator to continue walking all over our pleasant disposition.??Learn to speak up with confidence.

Example

If the relationship is something we value, we have an obligation to help the person appreciate their negative tendencies.?We can share our observation with love and compassion.?By setting a good example we can demonstrate how being positive makes a big difference in how we communicate.

Their problem

Being empathetic is important to understanding why people behave as they do.?It’s also easy to allow other people’s problems to become our own.?There’s a fine line between being empathetic and being an emotional porta potty.?Some people distort their problems to gain sympathy.?We can’t let other people’s problems become our own, and sometimes we need firm boundaries with people trapped in a cycle of negativity.?

“Have you ever noticed how positive people are happy people are negative people are miserable”?

Deflect

When conversations turn negative, move the discussion in a different direction.??Stay positive and resist tumbling into the negativity trap.?We don’t have to ignore the person, but we can acknowledge their point and quickly migrate away from confrontation.

Solutions

Sometimes close friends or family dump on our ecstatic energy.?We have no alternative but to listen. However, I prefer to focus the conversation on positive solutions and encourage them to explore their options.?Ask questions that help the person start appreciating they have alternatives and its better to concentrate on solutions not wallowing in self-pity.?

So long

Sometimes we just have to say so long.?There’s nothing wrong with leaving bad relationships and deciding to do what’s in our best interest.?We can’t drag everyone else to the mountaintop, some people refuse to climb.?For our own wellbeing, distancing ourselves from people inflicted with chronic negativity is essential.???

“Don’t walk away from negative people, run!”?Mark Twain

Sum it up.

Any suggestions for dealing with a negative person??Share your thoughts in the comments section and please like and share this article. I love learning from you as well.

About Steve:

Steve Wohlenhaus is CEO of Weatherology, the leading company in the world at disseminating audio weather information.??Steve began his career as a major market television weather anchor in Minneapolis, where he received several Emmy Awards for science programming.?Steve is an author and host of the podcast program Anatomy of Success.?Reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn.?Learn more about my work and grab the free Weatherology mobile app by clicking any picture in this article!