How to deal with negative people - 7 Tips

Negative people can literally suck the joy right out of your life. Just being around them is draining - and, if you show any empathy they'll quickly learn that you're the one to go to. While you might want to help, the efforts you make typically go unappreciated, and it can feel like a roller coaster ride you didn't ask to get onto in the first place. So how do you deal with those types of people? These are the most intelligent ways to do so.

Avoid becoming too emotional

If you feed into the situation with emotion, you'll teach that person that they can depend on you for a reaction and that's just what they want. It can be difficult, but it's worth practicing. Try responding with a simple line of fact that has nothing to do with the subject at hand, such as: "Have you heard anything about the new season of 'Game of Thrones?' Are you planning to watch?"
Ignoring toxic comments and offering simple facts is probably your No. 1 line of defense.

Remain positive

Be as positive as you can, smiling and thinking happy thoughts, which might just rub off on them. Even if it doesn't, they're likely to be turned off by your happiness and positivity enough to remove themselves from the conversation, and perhaps even your life.

Remember the numbers

Research has shown that those with negative attitudes have significantly higher rates of stress and disease. If someone is making life difficult for those around them, it's just about guaranteed that their own life isn't going all so well. Think about all that pain that must have inside them, which will help you feel more sympathetic so you can stay focused on minimizing their negativity.

Maintain maturity

While it's natural to want to defend yourself, it's going to be counterproductive because that negative person is looking for an argument. The mature approach is to maintain composure and simply walk away.

Find a way to bring them up

Instead of reacting back with negativity, think about something good the person has done. Compliment them for doing something well.

Don't take on their problems as if they're yours

If you're an empathetic person, it can be difficult not to take on the negative person's problems as your own. You may want to fix it, but your efforts would probably be fruitless. Keep in mind that negative people look for anyone who will show them sympathy - you didn't cause their problems, and you shouldn't feel guilty for not helping to fix them.

Cut them out of your life if necessary

Never feel guilty if you have to cut a negative person who is draining all of your energy out of your life. Sometimes you just have to do it, particularly when it's negatively impacting your life. 

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