At home, at school, and at work, negativity is a force to be reckoned with. Knowing how to avoid negativity can make a huge difference in your overall happiness as well as in your ability to succeed. Here are three tips for avoiding negativity.
1. Think better. How do you think better? You just have to remember that no matter how negative a person or a situation is, you always have the ability to choose how you react. No matter how mean or negative a person is, you always have the choice to react positively. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Likewise, no one can make you a Negative Nancy without your consent.
2. Recognize negative people. When you find yourself feeling curiously depleted every time you interact with a certain person, recognize that person as being negative. In some cases – such as with family members – you might not be able to avoid the person entirely. However, if you recognize a person as negative, you can try to limit your interaction with them and, when you do interact, try to keep a healthy emotional distance from them and their negativity.
3. Remember that like attracts like. If you make an effort to be a positive person, you’ll bring out the positive in those around you. Likewise, if you’re consistently negative, you’re more likely to attract the fellow negatively minded.