Few things in our lives can be as devastating as the impact of negative people.
What’s worse is that they are unavoidable.
They lurk in our jobs, friends, even our families. No matter how much ass you think you are kicking in life, all of the sudden, a “negative Nelly” will pop up and knock you down a few notches. It is an inevitability. So if we can’t avoid negative people, what we CAN do is reduce their impact.
Next time someone tries to derail your success train, keep these 3 things in mind to mitigate the damage:
Be Realistic
The most important thing to keep in mind when a negative person pops up in your life to put you down is this: Their opinion is just that – THEIRS. Whatever you do don’t let their opinion become your reality. People are always going to find faults if they are looking for them. That doesn’t give any validity to the faults that they find, it just means that if you look hard enough you can find something wrong with just about anything. You determine the effects of negativity on your life, no one else.
Take a Breath
One of these easiest things to do when approached with negativity is giving into it. It’s a knee-jerk reaction that is just part of human nature. In reality, negativity is a chance to stop, take a deep breath, and evaluate. Is there validity to the criticism? Is someone just being petty? Can you actually do things better than you are doing them?
Ask yourself these questions instead of just assuming that the other person is right. The best reaction to negative people is not to give them a reaction at all. Sleep on it, learn from it, and move on.
Understand Your Abilities
We all know that no one is perfect, and too often negative people expect perfection. It’s an irrationality that we can’t avoid but can handle effectively. You know what you are capable of, despite what anyone else thinks. You might not be perfect, but damn it, you are good at what you do. Keep that mentality in your head and in your heart. Negative people are often times the way they are because they can’t admit their own faults. Don’t be discouraged when they point yours out.
