5 Ways To Stay Positive When Negative People Drag You Down

Ashley Greencorn
Aug 17, 2016
2 min read

We all know that our physical health is important but what's also important is our emotional and mental health. Sometimes we have to deal with negative people in our lives like colleagues, a friend or sometimes a family member.

Below are 5 ways to help you remain positive around negative people when we can't avoid it or don't want to remove them from our lives.

1. Don't take it personally

This is one that is VERY hard for many of us and one that I definitely have difficulty with. Sometimes it can be frustrating when you are a sensitive person because you can take something to heart that someone said but they didn't mean it the way you took it. Many times when people are having a bad day or have something going on in their life (stress, etc) they take it out on you. The most important thing to do is to remember that it is not about you, it's them and try not to take it personally.

2. Remain grateful for what is going well in your life - "Count your blessings."

We have all heard how the saying goes right? Make sure to "always count your blessings". If you are having one of those days where you are in the "poor me" state then grab a pen and paper and make a gratitude list. Start writing down all the things that you are grateful for in your life; your health, your family, your children, etc. Gratitude can go along way and it reminds us that life involves more than our surroundings.

3. Remind yourself that everyone has their own journeys.

"Certain people come into your life for a reason." We all have to learn different lessons in life. Perhaps this person has come into your life for a reason. At the same time, this person has to come to their own realizations on their own time. Many call this karma.

4. View this opportunity as time to grow and work on yourself.

Changing your mindset can be challenging. It is certainly not going to happen over night but the key is consistency. Working on yourself is never going out of style and let's face it, we could all improve. We all go through periods of self-doubt but remember to focus on personal development and continue to work on yourself everyday.

5. Spend time alone

Make sure to do the things that you love and MAKE TIME for them! The house work can wait for an hour or so. Take the time to do the things that you love and make you happy. Read a book, meditate, play some music, write in a journal. It's a good idea to have some quiet time alone to reflect.