I was playing tennis today with one of my tennis buddies. We play once a week and we usually chat about work, professional tennis players and local news.
Today he was very negative about the people of the area we live in. According to him they are all thieves and crooks.
Now this makes me really angry when I hear him talking like this since I have had very positive experiences with the people I have dealt with locally. I find the locals to be very friendly, helpful and considerate.
So we disagree on the facts. What can I do about his negative thinking? What can you do when dealing with negative people?
Three Ways To Deal With Negative People
1. Get specific
When someone is caught up in negative thinking they will often generalize their statements. It is a good idea to ask them questions to clarify what they mean.
For example if my friend says all dogs are aggressive I will ask him:
Small dogs or big dogs? All dogs or certain breeds? According to who? In what kind of situations?
By doing this you can shift the perspective of the negative person from a generalized over reaction to a highly specific opinion. This will ease some of the negativity and the intensity of their outburst.
2. Let Go
Let go of wanting to control the opinions of the people you deal with no matter how negative they are. By all means talk to the negative person and use your persuasion skills to help give them a more positive outlook.
However remember that each of us is entitled to be negative, wrong and inaccurate! Once you accept this you will not get so stressed about wanting to change people who are negative.
And ironically when you stop trying to change people they can almost sense that you accept them and so your words have more impact.
3. Choose to Be Positive
When people around us are negative sometimes the easiest thing to do is to join in. You do not have to. If you want to just go ahead.
Otherwise find ways to maintain a positive attitude. Look for the positives in the situation and point them out to people. Ask yourself how you can use this opportunity to become better.
And refuse to get dragged down by others into the murky waters of negativity no matter how bad it gets.
Being positive is a choice even when those around you have slipped into negativity.
About The Author
Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm
licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..Ever feel like giving up? Do you ever feel so... Read More
Fear is a double-edged sword. It can hold you back... Read More
A joke is a way of getting people to laugh.... Read More
You've been looking for a job for as long as... Read More
Good morning I love you.This is a basic exercise, which... Read More
Celebrating is a skill that adults with ADD (Attention Deficit... Read More
The image you hold of yourself determines your success or... Read More
"Most overnight successes are just plain lucky. Just ask any... Read More
Gail's StoryGail is a friend of mine and she was... Read More
If your life is difficult--if it's challenging, exasperating, and vexatious--... Read More
If you think you are a loser, you train or... Read More
It would be pretty hard to become successful without first... Read More
I just heard the story of a man who hired... Read More
Ever had the sense that there is more to life... Read More
Have you ever noticed how many unhappy people there are... Read More
Your mindset is a strong factor in achieving any type... Read More
Let's say you're ready to change some aspect of your... Read More
Woe is me... life has dealt me a bad hand...... Read More
There is a wonderful story about the famous escape artist,... Read More
I'm getting calls from folks who say, "I hear you... Read More
Striving to improve our self esteem is on everybody's mind.... Read More
One Friday in November, I began a journey from New... Read More
"Every prayer - every thought, every statement, every feeling -is... Read More
Whether it's the other kids making fun of you at... Read More
Thousands of dollars will be yours, just by using your... Read More
on demand house cleaning Arlington Heights ..You've been looking for a job for as long as... Read More
This is the age of the Quick Fix - the... Read More
"We can change our circumstances by a mere change of... Read More
There are always explanations for why things to you or... Read More
Lately, there has been a collective challenge to avoid being... Read More
Positive Affirmations are things we say to ourselves that build... Read More
When you look at your future in terms of your... Read More
A balanced life not only leaves you feeling more fulfilled;... Read More
Hey gang; Ok it's time to create some good habits.... Read More
Are you driving under the influence of impaired emotions?Dateline: December... Read More
I had a completely different idea for my main article... Read More
Turn negative thoughts into positive ones.Negative thoughts can be very... Read More
I'm getting calls from folks who say, "I hear you... Read More
All the problems that any individual has in their lives... Read More
Your mindset is a strong factor in achieving any type... Read More
An old Joni Mitchell song reminds us, "don't it always... Read More
Unhappy? Stressed out? Do you feel you not only want... Read More
"The knowledge of actions or events before they occur; foresight."You... Read More
Byron and I started our first business full of enthusiasm... Read More
Bernard always had a problem with money.He was always lacking... Read More
Being a mom can take a toll on your body,... Read More
No, not that kind.Power and potential are synonymous. Your ultimate... Read More
Life can be downright scary - sometimes more than others.... Read More
What do you do when things in your life don't... Read More
In view of the increasing negative events happening around the... Read More
Positive Attitude Tips |