Last week I shared a bit about using negative thought interrupters in our own lives. So, today, I wanted to talk about how I deal with negative people in my life.
I’ve been contemplating this quote by Tony Gaskins:
Negative people need drama like oxygen. Stay positive, it will take their breath away.
The truth is, we can’t get rid of negative people in our lives. But, we can decide how we deal with those types of people and whether we allow them to affect our feelings and thoughts.
The less we respond negatively, the more peaceful our lives will be. But how? It can be tricky since we don’t want to offend the person or make them feel like what they’re saying is totally ridiculous (even if it is), so I try to follow these steps anytime find myself in a negative, unproductive conversation:
Acknowledge the person’s feelings
Share something positive
Explain how you are coping or dealing with the situation
Let’s say that a co-worker says, “Our world is so horrible, did you watch the news last night?'' How do you respond? I might say something like, “I did hear about that and completely understand how it could make you feel that way. I know there’s so much bad stuff going on right now, so I am working on not watching the news and staying positive through all of this.”
What about a client?
This same approach works too. If you’re a real estate agent and a client says, “I’m so angry! My house isn’t going to sell given what’s going on in the world” I might respond with, “I completely understand how you could feel that way. But, I want you to know that there are still buyers who are interested in purchasing a home, even now. And, I am going to do everything in my power to get your home sold ”
There will always be things we cannot control in our lives (like other people), but you always have the power to be the voice of reason, and that may be the most valuable thing we can all offer to others right now. And, just one final thought, a negative mind, will never give you a positive life.
Life is still good,
Jeff