How do I deal with people who are always negative?
I have a friend and a coworker who are relentlessly negative — complaining, pessimistic, draining to be around. It affects my own mood. How do I deal with chronically negative people without becoming negative myself? Can I help them, or do I just need to limit my time with them?
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4 Answers
My grandmother always said the more things change, the more they stay the same. Every generation thinks the one after it is going to ruin everything, and somehow the world keeps turning. I try to keep that perspective.
I'd ask your parents or grandparents how things were when they were your age. You'll be surprised — a lot of what feels brand new today actually happened before in a slightly different form. History rhymes.
Talk to people who actually disagree with you instead of just reading things that confirm what you already believe. That's the only way I ever change my mind about anything. It's uncomfortable but worth it.
There's a difference between something being rude and something just being different from what you're used to. I try to ask myself that whenever I get annoyed by how other people do things. Usually it's just different, not wrong.
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