There’s a good chance you have at least one person in your life that does more harm than good. Perhaps it’s a boss that criticizes your every move. Maybe it’s a competitor, client, or colleague dead set on crushing your spirit. It could even be a parent or spouse that cuts you down rather than boosts you up.
We all have negative forces in our lives. Your real challenge is how you choose to respond. Here are a couple strategies to make things more bearable, and to turn their rancor into something positive:
1. Don’t dwell. It’s easy to wallow in their negative energy, or to become fixated on trying to correct the situation. Changing core personality traits in others is about as easy as winning Olympic gold. Instead, let it go. Don’t empower your enemies by allowing them to get to you. Your inner dialog is yours to craft; don’t allow them to poison your thoughts.
2. Don’t sink to their level. We all know that two wrongs don’t make a right. While you may want to lash back, mirroring their abhorrent behavior doesn’t improve the situation. Take the high road and be true to your own nature. Don’t give them the satisfaction of brining you down. Run your own race and never veer off your course to accommodate these naysayers.
3. Examine what bothers you the most. Take a look at why this person is getting to you. Sometimes the most painful jabs help you learn and grow. If you’re feeling the burn at a deeply emotional level, find out what’s bothering you so much and see if it can serve as a teacher. Their actions could signal the areas that you need to work on the most.
4. Remain undaunted. Focus on your own game plan, not the one these malcontents want you to follow. Pour positivity into the world, help others, and contribute to the greater good. Make sure your enemies realize that they have no power over you, no matter how much they bitch, prod, or cajole.
We may not be able to remove every negative person from our lives, but we can absolutely decide how we react. Don’t let the evil forces of jealousy and anger distract you from your mission to make the world a better place. If you stay true to your own plan, your nemesis will whither away while you gain strength and momentum. They’ll matter less and less as you rise above the noise and stay true to your calling.