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
green cleaning service Park Ridge ..What I mean of course is, to appreciate life through... Read More
Unhappy moods can be like comfortable sweaters, those old ones:... Read More
Who are you?We all know that we are composed of... Read More
I'm getting calls from folks who say, "I hear you... Read More
Satisfaction 100% guaranteed or your money back! That was the... Read More
When I was little I was very busy--as I imagine... Read More
If I say the word "CHANGE" how do you feel?... Read More
Cheri decided that she wanted to grow an apple tree... Read More
Dr. Phil says each of us has a personal "truth"... Read More
Most of us carry on a running internal dialogue at... Read More
When you have a case of FABS, it may be... Read More
You are already a winner, and so am I.Although you... Read More
Often when radical change occurs in our lives we feel... Read More
What are you holding onto? Wanta quit?There are many things... Read More
When you look at your future in terms of your... Read More
The easiest, most exciting adventure in consciousness follows the lamplit... Read More
I started life writing in the fifth grade. My mother... Read More
Being the next Carmen Electra or Paris Hilton might or... Read More
A Yale University study a few years ago revealed that... Read More
They're out there? they look like people you know, but... Read More
Distortions are False Beliefs Programmed every Day by Self and... Read More
Look at this glass on the table in front of... Read More
INNER CRITIC UNVEILED! Part 2: AFFIRMATIONS TO THE RESCUE!"Almost everybody... Read More
Attitude, has a way of preening itself, often without awareness... Read More
Bosses can't control many things at work. In fact, they... Read More
cleaning help near Bannockburn ..There are many stories of people injuring themselves, and others,... Read More
Many people don't really understand the gift they have been... Read More
One day while in deep meditation and self analysis, a... Read More
Philosophy of Forgiveness:The most powerful tool that human beings possess... Read More
In many ways the Star War movies are simply a... Read More
Before we are able to use the Universal Thought System... Read More
? If it takes me to periphery (Drifted into continuous... Read More
How are you? That's a loaded question, and I'll tell... Read More
HOW YOUR OUTLOOK INFLUENCES HEALTH AND ABILITY TO CONTROL ANGERJane... Read More
Cheri decided that she wanted to grow an apple tree... Read More
Did you know that the 911 equivalent in the UK... Read More
Many times when an angry or rageful man comes into... Read More
When you feel lost and confused, it is easy to... Read More
When you look at your future in terms of your... Read More
Quote of the week:"Of all the attitudes we can acquire,... Read More
Hospital patient undergoing surgery recounts how Hero Soul provided strength,... Read More
Many of the books on this page were inspired by... Read More
I have a 440-page guide on how to simplify my... Read More
Ever feel like giving up? Do you ever feel so... Read More
One of our most active senses is sight. What we... Read More
A day in your life is a brief and precious... Read More
"Those people who think they can do something and those... Read More
IntroductionDid your boss, took you for a ride? Did your... Read More
Life is the greatest roller coaster ride we will ever... Read More
So, is this really where you thought you'd be? You're... Read More
Positive Attitude Tips |