Why We Need More Negative People in Our Life

Have you ever been forced into awkward conversations with people you don’t like much? An argument you didn’t see coming? Or that negative person who decides to strike back again. This has been my worst nightmare and mostly because negative people have a tendency to bring others down and inject toxic negativity into different relationships. So what can someone do when faced with a negative friend, partner, co-worker, or family member? You can start by listening to them, offering a compassionate ear, and hoping their negativity is probably caused by a bad day. However, if you’re dealing with a habitually negative person, you’re at high risk of being drained mentally and emotionally.

In the past few years of my life, I have tried mastering one particular skill, which I believe is super important for survival among negative people, that is — learning to be comfortable while in discomfort.

It’s true that some of these interactions form negativities in our minds but at the same time can teach us how to function accordingly. Yes, you read it right. Negative people can teach us a lot of skills that we wouldn’t have learned without the courtesy of their personalities.

Some of these people have nothing better to do but I decided that it is easier to utilize their presence in our lives in efficient ways. Hiding isn’t an option, so instead, we learn from them and shield ourselves from their never-ending hostility in some of the ways discussed below:

Knowing your place

I am sure there are a few names that popped up in your mind with the mention of ‘negative people’ — as it did for me when I was writing this piece. After a number of lessons, I stopped becoming infected with people’s toxic negativity. Also, I did not engage in their negative skepticism, which helped me maintain a healthy emotional distance. This skill will help you in any uncomfortable situations with literally anyone or anything you don’t agree with. Whatever you decide to do, just don’t stoop to their level.

Don’t let them take advantage of you

Speaking of advantage, I have been taken for granted by many and taken advantage of and have felt quite uncomfortable at those times. Knowing exactly who is genuine and who is just there for the sake of being is crucial if you don’t want to be taken advantage of. This skill will be eternally helpful. I have also learned to identify those situations in my life where I just knew when to discontinue certain interactions to save myself some heartache.

Photo by Catalin Pop on Unsplash

Don’t let them decide for you

As you read this, you might be thinking of that one time when you didn’t decide for yourself and that negative person did on your behalf. It should be up to you to decide on whatever it is that they think that they may have a say in. Negative people eventually end up helping us be firm and voice our opinions after being gradually offended over time. This is one of my favorite things I have learned while dealing with negative people.

Hold your tongue

This may come off as a hard one for some of us and I am not ashamed to say that I am still trying to master this skill. It is only natural to let yourself slide into frustration or anger as you deal with negative people. Responding angrily only feeds their negativity. Try to master patience and don’t rush into saying anything to them as an act of revenge. Being patient will help you immensely for pretty much everything in the future. Trust me, with practice you will become a pro at this.

Don’t step away from being ‘you’

A number of times I was in situations when I felt uncomfortable around negative people because I deviated from my normal ways of life. That’s a very unhappy feeling. Just try to limit your exposure to negative people as much as you can in order to give yourself some space so you can be yourself. Do things your way that will help you clear your headspace well.

Spread the light of positivity

Speaking of being yourself, wear your enthusiasm like a shiny armor against a negative person’s hostile mentality. You may even affirm your positivity by doing nice things for them once in a while to show that there is no harm in being positive and spreading happiness. This is when you teach them that positivity can harbor successful and happy relationships and who knows they find eventually find some joy for once!

Photo by Morgan Sessions on Unsplash

To conclude, you can maintain a successful relationship with negative people as long as your expectations are based on reality. The purpose of this article was to assert the importance of the presence of negative people in our lives so as to practice a few skills that we would otherwise not have developed. If they can’t inject happiness into our lives, then the least we can do is get the best of them and utilize their skills well in our lives. Hence, rising above and remaining positive in our personalities should be the key to becoming comfortable with negative people.

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Thank you for reading.

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This post was previously published on Medium.

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