Why You Must Get Rid Of Negative People In Your Life

Negative people are everywhere.

You can probably think of someone whose constant complaining and criticism makes it hard to be around them.

But when someone’s negativity starts infecting your own thinking, what do you do and how do I rid them of my life?

And if you’re thinking, “Well, aren’t we supposed to be there for those who just need to vent?” this isn’t about a little venting between friends.

This is about recognizing toxic negativity and knowing when and how to protect yourself from it.

Does Negativity Affect Us?

Research has shownthat just 30 minutes of exposure to negativity — including negative programming on TV — actually peels away neurons in the brain’s hippocampus, which is critical to problem-solving.

In other words, even passive listening to other people’s complaints and cutting words makes you dumber.

It also unleashes stress hormones thatupset the balance of your immune system, making illness more likely and recovery more difficult.

And the negative effects don’t stop with your physical health and IQ.

There’s a reason we use the phrase “emotionally draining” to describe the time we spend around negative people.

It’s almost as if they use you as their personal battery charger.

And if you’re an introvert, and your social battery drains more quickly around others, toxic negativity takes an even heavier toll on yourmental and emotional health.

So, the stakes are high enough to justify some corrective action.

Getting Rid Of Negative People (Tips and Strategies)

The simplest and most straightforward policy is to stay away from negative people — or avoid them as much as possible. But what if you can’t?

If this is a negative spouse — or if you’re surrounded by negative family members or co-workers — how do you minimize their effect on you?

You want to be there for them, but you also want to protect your mood (and your precious neurons) from the effects of their complaining and criticism.

Armed with the following tips, you’ll know how to get rid of negative people, whatever your situation, without losing your balance.

1. Identify people with negative personality traits.

Before you can deal with them, you need to identify the negative people in your life.

Some of them complain about everything. Take them to a restaurant for a free dinner, and they’ll focus on everything they don’t like about the place, the meal, and the service.

Some criticize everyone (often behind their backs to anyone who will listen). They have cutting words for anyone who doesn’t agree with or obey them.

And some are perpetual victims for whom nothing goes right. In their view, the Universe either doesn’t care about them or sees them as a favorite punching bag.

And while there’s more to these people than their negative thinking habits, it’s hard to be around them for long.

2. Give yourself time to recover from a negative onslaught.

Don’t be in a rush to respond to someone’s complaints or harsh criticism.

Granted, keeping silent isn’t always an option. But keepingcalmin your response to their rants can help to either defuse the situation or make it too risky for them to keep attacking you directly.

And this gives you time to recover and set up the boundaries you need to limit their access to you.

It’s best when you don’t have to hear (or read) whatever these career critics insist on saying about you to make themselves feel better.

You need your headspace for better things.

3. Don’t be afraid to cut people off.

Sometimes, the only way to recover and to protect yourself is to avoid negative people altogether.

If the only contact you have with these people is online, it’s easy enough to block their access to you by severing the connection.

If they have your phone number, you can block them from calling or leaving texts.

If necessary, you can also arrange for their emails to go directly to your “Junk” folder.

It doesn’t mean you’ll never reconnect with them, but don’t feel obligated to mend a relationship that benefits neither of you.

Real friends don’t expect you to take their abuse and then bend over backwards to appease them whenever you disagree.

4. Keep calm and don’t take the bait.

平静你的存在- person, the more power you have. Even better if you cultivate the habit of selectively ignoring their negative words.

Sometimes, you have to be a terrible listener. This is not one of those times when active listening will make you a better friend.

No oneneedsfor their complaints or criticism to be repeated.

Give yourself permission to tune out the negative ranting as much as you possibly can and focus on content that can pull you both in a more positive direction.

And don’t take the bait if they try to steer the conversation back to complaints or criticism.

5. Take charge of the conversation.

If your friend has had a rough day, maybe ask them what they’re looking forward to. If they don’t volunteer anything, suggest something based on what you know about them.

If your conversation partner refuses to be deterred from their ranting, you have a few choices:

  1. Keep trying to steer the conversation in a better direction (at the risk of annoying them).
  2. Let them rant but pay as little attention as possible to their complaints and/or criticism (Go to your happy place).
  3. Politely excuse yourself (You have an appointment — with a quiet place and a soothing cup of something).

If this is someone you care about, number 1 will probably be your go-to option.

But if they insist on complaining or blaming and criticizing others, the conversation is unlikely to help either of you.

6. Be authentic and kind, but don’t be anyone’s emotional sponge.

There’s nothing wrong with being kind and offering a listening ear to those who seem troubled or upset.

But when someone abuses your willingness to listen to them by constantly complaining or criticizing others, you have the right to protect your own mental health by limiting their access to you.

Doing so might seem selfish or uncaring, but it isn’t.

When it becomes clear that someone doesn’t reallywanta solution to their problems — they just want to complain about everyone and everything that irks them — you’re not helping them by offering yourself as their emotional sponge.

You’re compromising your own mental and emotional health for something that benefits neither of you.


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7. Know when to apologize — and when not to.

When you’ve harmed someone with your words or actions — even if you didn’t intend to — offer a genuine and wholehearted apology.

You would appreciate the same from those who’ve hurt you.

But to those who constantly criticize you and expect you to change, you owe nothing. What you owe yourself is permission to spend as little time around such people as possible.

You don’t need to change yourself or apologize for who you are to please anyone.

Generally speaking, negative people are better at saying what they don’t want or don’t like than what they do. You don’t have to stick around so they can remind you of that.

8. Spend more time around people who lift you up.

Spending time around positive people makes you feel stronger.

如果你去他们感到疲惫,他们会推荐some overdue self-care and encourage you to do what you need to do in order to feel recharged and ready for anything.

Positive, nurturing friends know just what to say and do to make you feel special and cared for. They’re a walking health spa for your soul.

They don’t expect their life or yours to be perfect. And they don’t need for everything to go right in order to be grateful for what does — and for any good that comes out of what doesn’t.

You learn from them, and you know they can always help you put things in perspective. They’re who you want to be for others.

9. Create a positive, nurturing environment for yourself (and others).

You know your environment has a huge influence on your mood and your ability to think clearly. When you’re surrounded by clutter, you feel cluttered on the inside, too.

And when you feel out of sorts, your surroundings tend to reflect that.

Because the influence goes both ways, you can improve your mood and encourage positive thinking by keeping your living and working spaces clutter-free and pleasing to the eye.

Not only do you get a sense of accomplishment from improving your space, you get an emotional boost, and your head feels clearer and more awake.

Add some soothing or energizing music and some art that you love, and you create an environment that helps you either focus and create or rest and recharge.

A space like that makes it easy to align with Flow and open yourself to inspiration and other blessings.

10. Be a positive influence for others.

Becoming a more positive influence for others starts with how you see yourself and the life you’re living.

The more attached you are to outcomes, the more likely you are to be disappointed or to blame yourself if things don’t turn out as you visualized.

When you open yourself to what Love wants for you and let go of your expectations and attachments, everything changes.

You become open to receiving all the good things Love wants to send you — including the answers to all your needs. You become a conduit for blessings.

And if you can help others do the same, they can feel free to leave the negativity behind them.

Common Questions About Ridding Yourself of Negative People

We all go through patches of negativity in our lives. It’s part of the human experience, and pretending otherwise — or worse, trying to bury negative emotions — can lead to severe mental health issues.

However, existing in a permanent state of gloom is equally detrimental.

With that in mind, let’s review the answers to four common questions about negative people. While every individual and situation has a unique set of factors, pathologically pessimistic people often exhibit similar behaviors.

What are the signs of a negative person?

Negative people see the glass half empty — all the time. They’re controlled by the naysayer in their heads, causing them to find fault with themselves and others constantly. Negative people nit and pick and blow the house down.

Because they’re stuck in the muck, they tend to eat poorly, neglect their health, and rarely exercise. Resultantly, they don’t look or feel their best.

How do you deal with someone who is constantly negative?

Dealing with a negative person can be frustrating, defaulting, and demoralizing. Since they’re always pointing out the bad, wrong, and ugly, spending time with them feels like being subjected to a particularly insidious form of mental torture.

If you find yourself stuck with a “Debbie or Daniel Downer,” remind yourself (internally) that while we all have our faults, they’re the ones with this particular issue. Crucially, don’t onboard their baggage. You have your own to worry about; let them carry their own.

If the person in question is a loved one, try to talk to them about their attitude — in a loving way. Instead of accusing them, let them know you’re concerned about their recent negativity and ask if there is anything you can do to help.

How do you shut down negative people?

In truth, it’s not your job to “shut down” negative people. All we can control is ourselves.

但是你能做的就是离开。不需要scene. Simply make up an excuse and extricate yourself from the situation. It’s as easy as that.

If exiting isn’t an option, try to keep things positive. Every time they bring up a minus, meet it with a plus.

What to do when you are surrounded by negative people?

Being surrounded by negative people can be a miserable experience — if you let it. If you make up your mind to let their pessimism run through you instead of retaining it, their behavior will bother you less.

But make sure you indulge in a bit ofself-careonce you can split. A hot bubble bath topped off with some positive daydreaming may be the perfect anecdote.

Are you dealing with negative people?

Ever tried getting through the day without complaining even once?

It’s humbling. Only when you try do you realize how often you blurt things out when you’re stressed.

Don’t beat yourself up, though. A slip-up now and then doesn’t make you a negative person. The important thing is to keep trying.

Truly negative people don’t see any point in trying. And they’re excellent at making you feel stuck in the same guilt or fear that dominates their thinking.

内疚让你困在过去,而恐惧客eps you fixated on the future. Both interfere with your ability to focus on and enjoy the present.

With that in mind, mindfulness meditation can be a great help in protecting yourself from the influence of habitual complainers and critics.

Practicing mindfulness can also help you heal from that influence and make necessary changes to your routine and environment.

May these tips and a new mindfulness practice help you become the person you want to be.

The people around you greatly affect your moods, mindset, and outlook in life. So, it's best to get rid of negative people. Find out how here.

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