Real Talk on Lessons in the Positive
Back in my school days, I was amazed to find out that when you multiply two negative numbers, you always get a positive one. Today, that mathematical theory may offer some much-needed encouragement for those of us who try in vain to stay positive while surrounded by those you might call “naysayers.” I call them “spirit killers.” You find them in the workplace, among family and friends; you even find them complaining as they ring up your purchases in the grocery store (it’s time for their lunch break they grumble). Real Talk: I’ve found that most negative people don’t see themselves as negative. They truly believe they are just voicing what everybody else is thinking, but not willing to say. Then, of course, there are those people who are just bitter and believe they’ve been through enough trials and tribulations to have earned their “Grinch Card.” But once you overdose on tolerance, how do you handle it? It’s time to work on your reactions. That’s what you can control. After all, you can’t give that negative person an attitude transplant! Now, I’m the queen of tuning out negative folks. I’m just not having it! I try to keep a smile on my face in hopes that they’ll notice I’m being positive and they just may try it! With practice, you, to, can tune out the Grinch, and find yourself in a more positive place.
Here are a few tips:
- Don’t reward negativity. Attention is a big payoff for a pessimist. Well-meaning people try to cheer the person up and halt her negativity. Back to my school days again, I recall a basic Psychology 101 principle: Behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated. Don’t reward negative, complaining behavior with too much attention.
- Confront them. Most negative people don’t know that they’re negative because no one ever tells them. If someone’s negativity is affecting your ability to be happy, productive and focused, give them some straight feedback on the subject, or a copy of this blog!
One final thought. REAL TALK: Before you give yourself a mental pat on the back for being a positive person, ask yourself if you’re sure you’re not the dreaded negative person. Oh, you’re not? Are you “positive?”
