Are you forced to listen to an overwhelming amount of negative comments on a daily basis? If so, what can you do to combat them and stop them from putting a damper on your mood? This article will provide you with some fantastic tips that will help you to remain positive in a negative environment.
Have you ever wondered: “Why do people’s negative comments bother me?”
It is because negative people have a pessimistic attitude that is contagious and will affect your frame of mind. You should limit your association with such people but if you cannot avoid being around them in the home or at work, then try steering fatalistic conversations into positive subjects that will interest the speaker. Listen to what the person says but do not overly engage in the subject. Change the direction of the conversation as soon as possible and do so with a pleasant and uplifting tone of voice.
What Negativity Does To You
Do you have to sit in a gloomy office listening to the same coworkers complain about a never-ending list of problems day in and day out? Let me guess, the rising price of gasoline, an unfaithful mate, a rebellious kid that is flunking school, all of these topics and more are bombarding you at work.
And let’s be honest. How many times have you engaged in these conversations and provided well-thought-out solutions to these problems only to have your suggestions fall on deaf ears?
While there’s not much you can do about the price of gasoline; you’ve given all of the advice you possibly can about why you should tell an unfaithful mate to take a running jump and have given some fantastic tips on how to encourage kids to improve their grades at school, it is highly likely that the subjects that are bothering your coworkers today are the very same ones that they complained about yesterday and will continue to complain about tomorrow.
If you are fed up with this vicious cycle of listening to negative problems and not being heard when providing solutions, then you have got to do something about it. Why? An overload of negativity could cause you to develop the following health issues:
- Chronic stress.
- Damaged immune system.
- Headaches and migraines.
- Fatigue.
- Chest pain.
- Insomnia.
- Anxiety.
- Depression.
- Social withdrawal.
Now, who would have thought that being a positive person would be so important and help you to stay healthy?
How To Change Negative Conversations.
Knowing just how damaging negativity can be for your body has no doubt helped you to see the urgency of capping negative vibes and eliminating unnecessary doom and gloom from your day.
The next time you are faced with a negative colleague who looks like they are itching to begin on an endless, antipathetic rant, why not try the following?:
- Make yourself scarce! After all, you are at work! Even if you are not busy, there is always something better to do than sitting waiting for a bucket load of negativity to fall on your shoulders. Spend more time with those who have an upbeat outlook on life.
- Take charge of the conversation. Try asking positive questions such as “What would you like the outcome to be next time?” or “What good thing came out of that experience?” to help a pessimistic person shift their concentration from the bad to the good.
- Change the subject. If you get caught up in a conversation that has a gloomy tone, why not try changing the subject into something positive? You could try slowly steering the conversation, or if that doesn’t work, try changing its direction completely. You could ask about:
- TV shows that you know your colleagues find interesting.
- Vacation destinations that you would love to visit.
- Creative ideas about what to cook for dinner.
How To Get Through Negative Conversations.
We all know what it is like to be stuck talking (or should I say listening) to someone who (let’s put it nicely) likes the sound of their own voice. Now, if their main topics for conversation are mostly negative this could put a real damper on your day.
The next time you are stuck in a conversation that you know you cannot get out of and sense is getting bleaker and bleaker by the minute, try the following:
- Take your mind on a trip. You do not have to force yourself to constantly absorb negativity! Retracting some of your concentration can be especially easy if the person you are listening to likes to complain about the same topics as you will have more than likely heard the story they are telling before. Force your mind to concentrate on the few positive things they say and give it a couple audible “uh-huh”s and “yes, I agree”s to show you are concentrating.
- When you interrupt, find something positive to highlight from what they have said. This could help the person to change the direction of the conversation and open their eyes to the good things that have come out of their experience.
- Set up a time frame. When you see someone coming over to talk about something negative tell them exactly how much time you can listen to them for. Saying, “ok, I have five minutes free before I need to…” is the perfect way to keep them conscious of how much they say and will give you a great get out of jail free card so that you can exit the conversation when you need to.
How To Combat Negative Feelings.
Have you been trapped listening to negative comments all day? Or perhaps you are going through a situation that has been sapping you of your joy? If so, then you no doubt would like a change of thought that will help you to see the good in the world again.
When bombarded with negativity at work or even in the home, try some of the following tips that will help you to completely change your mood.
- Get some exercise. There is no better way to let off some steam than attending a brief gym session or even going for a brisk walk. A change of scenery and a stroll through a park will do wonders not only for your mental health but will also improve your muscle strength and will boost your energy levels so that you can continue tackling tricky environments with success.
- Listen to music. Another great way to block out bad vibes is to turn up the volume on some of your favorite playlists as soon as you get out of the office. Upbeat songs with positive and fun lyrics will help put a spring back in your step and will put a smile on your face.
- Control your media. If you have had a bad day then be determined not to fill your head with any additional negative information. Of course, there is no harm in staying informed on local news events, but there is no need for you to be excessive about doing so. You must limit how much negative information you absorb. Do so by trying the following:
- Reading an upbeat book.
- Watching a funny movie or TV program.
- Socialize. Choose your associates wisely and control the amount of time you spend with negative people. Getting out of the house is a great way to break out of your bubble.
- Spend time outdoors. If you find yourself working under artificial lights or behind a screen all day, make sure you get out and about visiting parks and breathing in fresh air at the weekends.
- Take photos. Make a conscious effort to capture good days and funny moments on camera so that you can look back on them when you are feeling low. Laughter is a fantastic medicine and revisiting funny photos and videos will help you to remember positive experiences so that you can relive that same joy time and time again.
