"Don't bring negative to my door."
We all have those people in our lives who we have to deal with, even if we we would prefer not to. It could be a overbearing coworker or a grumpy family member. Maybe it's one of those friends for life who we just can't seem to shake. For whatever reason, these Negative Nellie's are not going anywhere soon, and most of the time, neither is their poor attitude. Even though we may feel forced to manage our lives with them in it, we do not have to get sucked into their negativity bubble.
I remember being a Negative Nellie, mainly when I was in a bad place mentally and emotionally. I rarely hid my feelings, so if I was in a bad mood, you would know. I don't feel like I was purposefully making an effort to put people in a bad mood, but I definitely wasn't doing anything to make their day more pleasant. However, there were times I was intent on making people feel bad, and my sharp tongue would make that known. I was basically that person who I now look to avoid.
Now that I have a much brighter outlook on life, I do my best to avoid the the negativity, but let's be honest, there are a lot of Negative Nellie's out there. I have found that by not getting sucked into anyone's negativity bubble, I don't have to take on their negative mood. Whether or not their intent is to make me feel bad, I don't take the bait. They can go on feeling bad, but it's my choice to not get swallowed up by their negativity. I even do my best to cheer up the Negative Nellie's I encounter. Some appreciate the gesture, while some prefer to go on feeling down on themselves. No matter how much they persist, I will not join their pity party.
While it is not our job to cheer up the people we encounter who seem to have a default mode of negativity, it is on us to not allow the Negative Nellie's to spoil our good mood. Even with our loved ones, it's simply not fair to us to take on any bad vibes. Cultivating more self-love in our lives and practicing mindful self-awareness is one great way to shield ourselves from the Negative Nellies. It's also a great way to help those who we feel are open to having a more positive outlook. We just can't force it on them. Sometimes, misery only wants company instead of sunshine and roses. That's on them, but it's on us to let them know we choose a positive outlook instead. Or not, that's on you. 😁
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