Dealing With Negative Nancy: How To Handle Negative People in Your Life

We all have that one person in our lives who is always negative. They are the Debbie Downers, the Eeyores, and the Negative Nancys. The people who seem to suck the joy out of everything and never have a positive word to say. They’re the ones who seem to always find the downside of any situation and bring everyone down with them.

Although negative people can be tiring, they’re part of our environment whether we like it or not. So let’s focus on some strategies for how to deal with negative people in our lives. If you’re feeling bogged down by negative people in your life, don’t worry — you’re not alone! Here’s how to handle these people so you don’t get dragged down by them.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Understand Where It Comes From
The first step in dealing with negativity is understanding where it comes from. Chances are, this person isn’t actually trying to be negative or make your life harder — they just don’t know how to express themselves properly.

Maybe they had a hard childhood or experienced personal trauma; maybe they just need someone to listen. Try addressing their negativity without judgment or blame and see if that helps open up a dialogue between the two of you.

Set Boundaries
Sometimes, negativity can be overwhelming and it might be hard for you to stay positive when someone around you is constantly bringing everyone else down. If this is the case, it might be time for you to set boundaries and limit your interactions with this person.

This doesn’t mean cutting them out of your life completely; it just means creating space between the two of you so that their negative energy doesn’t overwhelm yours. There’s no shame in doing what’s best for your mental health!

Be Honest and Direct
If Negative Nancy continues her negative behaviors despite your efforts at focusing on the positives, then it may be time for a more direct approach. Be honest with her about how her behavior makes you feel, and explain why it’s not acceptable or desirable for either of you.

It’s important to make sure that she understands your point of view without attacking her directly or making her feel bad about herself (this will only lead to more negativity). If done correctly, this approach can help bring clarity and understanding between both parties involved without creating more conflict or tension between them.

Stay Positive
This one may sound easier said than done but staying positive around negative people can help them open up and start seeing things differently too. Try focusing on all of the good things in your life instead of dwelling on everything that could go wrong — eventually, those around you will start noticing how different they feel when they’re around you versus when they’re not!

Photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash

Negative Nancy may seem like an unstoppable force at times but there are ways to handle her (or him!) so that her negativity doesn’t drag everyone else down with her. Negativity can be draining, especially when it comes from someone close to us.

By understanding where her negativity comes from and setting boundaries for yourself if needed, as well as staying positive even when she isn’t. We can all learn how to manage our own emotions better while still being compassionate towards those around us who struggle with theirs. With patience and compassion towards ourselves as well as others we can overcome any obstacle life throws at us — even if it’s just Negativity Nancy!