Your Personal Peace
How to Stay Positive Around Negative People
Why is it important to stay positive around negative people? Why protect your energy? What does that even mean? Let's start with you have and actually are energy. Your consciousness, decisions and influences of life around affect your energy. Some people are just happy and positive always. Then there is the opposite where someone is always negative, angry, sad, irritable. There are a lot of variables to the causes of mood and energy, but I'm going to say something that might upset some people but often enough your energy, mood and how you react is your decision. I'm not talking hormones and brain chemistry causing depression and uncontrollable emotions. I mean for a good portion of the population your mood and energy is your choice.
I know there have been times when I was young, where I was upset about something and my dad would tell me to "just be happy." I'd get so mad when he'd say this when I was younger but as I have gotten older I have realized I have wasted so much energy on allowing my emotions to control me instead of the other way around, and even worse allowing all of the people around me to affect my energy.
A few years ago I went through something pretty traumatic and since then I have been deciding to be conscious and aware of how my energy feels and how I show up in the world, and not allowing others to choose for me. I'm still human and I have human reactions but protecting my energy and choosing to be positive helps me stay grounded in the present moment, and gives me the ability to choose my own reactions to the people and things this world throws my way.
Staying positive around negative people and protecting your energy, helps with your own state of mind that reflects in mental, spiritual and physical health and well being. Protecting your energy is choosing your energy before and after being around people, being in a healthy mindset when there is negativity and chaos around and not allowing it to change your energy, or day. Just choosing to stay positive regardless of what's happening or who you're around.
It's good to practice this everyday, making positive the norm for your mind, energy and body. Excessive negative energy influences your mindset and eventually your body. Why let negative energy jeopardize your mental and physical health, especially when it's not even your energy?
10 Tips for Staying Positive Around Negative People
1. Set Energetic Boundaries
You don’t have to absorb what others are giving off. Imagine a “bubble” around you, not to block them out entirely, but to protect your peace. Their energy is theirs. Yours is yours. I often envision a bubble of either white or golden light surrounding me. I did this all the time while working at Walmart. I would also imagine it being impenetrable. After dealing with a negative customers I would imagine the bubble being shiny and smooth and shaking off dirt.
2. Limit Exposure (If Possible)
If someone consistently drains your positivity, it’s okay to pull back. You’re not being rude, you’re respecting your own limits.
3. Don’t Take It Personally
Negativity usually says more about the other person’s internal world than it does about you. Practice empathy. There is a saying I have mentioned before about how "hurt people hurt people". If someone is negative to you, its about them. Choose empathy and try to understand they're going through something. So don't take it personally.
4. Keep Your Vibe Anchored
If it's a specific person that you have to deal with constantly, ground yourself before interacting with them whether through deep breaths, a mantra, or just a positive intention. It's also really good to start your day with meditation even only for a few minutes and set your intentions for the day.
5. Use Emotional Detachment
You can care about someone and have empathy without carrying their emotional baggage. Observe their emotions and energy but don't absorb them as your own.
6. Choose Kindness Without Over-Investing
Respond with kindness, but don’t feel responsible for “fixing” them or their mood. Sometimes staying neutral with empathy is the best kindness.
7. Redirect the Conversation Gently
If things start spiraling, try to shift the topic to something lighter, inspiring, or constructive. I unconsciously always search for the silver lining in all situations now. It might irritate some people but I can't help it.
8. Focus on Your Response, Not Their Behavior
You can’t control how they show up but you can always choose how you respond. You can choose to be kind and considerate, but also don't allow their behavior to dictate your response.
9. Debrief and Recharge
After a tough interaction, take a few minutes to decompress and reground yourself. Walk, breathe, even journal, whatever brings you back to center. I love to do actual grounding with my feet in the grass, it is so soothing especially after and encounter with someone negative. Sometimes I take a quick shower, as it's refreshing and I imagine any negative energy washing down the drain. But even just a quick moment to collect yourself if grounding to the earth barefoot or showering aren't immediately available.
10. Remember: Positivity ≠ Toxic Positivity
You don’t need to pretend things are fine or wear a fake smile. True positivity is about choosing hope and perspective, not denying reality.
With those tips here are some ideas to help you navigate staying positive when you encounter negative people.
Start your day off with mindful meditation and intention for who and how you decide to show up and how your day will be.
Finally, remember to have grace for who ever you deal with and also yourself. They and you are only human. We are all just people trying to exist in the world.
"Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation."
Affirmations:
“I don’t have to take on energy that doesn’t belong to me."
“I am calm. I am centered. I choose peace.”
“This moment is enough.”
“Peace begins with me.”
“I choose how I respond.”
I encourage you to take a few moments each morning to ground yourself in the mentality you choose, and set your intention for the day. When you have an encounter with someone negative, remember their negativity is theirs and is not a reflection of you but of them and you have the power to choose your energy and reaction.
