How to stop spreading negativity

Have you ever wondered how to stop being Negative and spread negativity?

Bad situations don’t just affect us personally – it also whacks our thinking and as a side effect if we’re not careful we end up spreading this negativity to others.

There’s a popular saying that “misery loves company.” And even more toxic “hurt people hurt people.“

While this depends on context it applies especially to negativity.

What is negativity?

Negativity is a kind of mindset where you focus on the bad things that happen in life. Sometimes you get blind to it that you feel there’s no way out.

Negativity is a disease that spreads like cancer and affects everyone around you.

How people spread negativity?

When people spread negativity – they transfer this mindset to others around them with a hope to experience the same pain but without any plan to come out.

What I’ve noticed is if negativity is your default mindset – it doesn’t take any effort to spread this form of destructive thinking – rather it becomes you only form of comfort.

The key is to stop getting comfort from negativity but rather to upgrade your mindset.

1: Start looking for opportunities

Negativity is a means of seeking comfort with being pessimistic and stuck in a rut.

If we start looking for opportunities around us – we’ll notice doors start opening and we’ll start experiencing breakthroughs.

So whatever you’re facing right now – don’t stay stuck or seek comfort in any form of negative mindset.

Seek opportunities and you’ll start seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

2: Quit the habit of complaining

Every time you catch yourself complaining – you’re in one way or the other spreading negativity.

My biggest problem with complaining is 80% of the time – we’re complaining to the wrong people:

People who apart from giving random advise cannot change anything related to our problems.

3: Cut out Negativity from your Work culture

Here’s how Gary Vee put it on a recent post:

“Cutting toxic employees, regardless of their skills is always the right move. Speed in business comes from great internal culture.

The biggest things that will make your company go fast are 1) continuity and 2) lack of politics.

That’s why it doesn’t matter how “great” an employee’s numbers are if he or she makes all the other employees miserable.

If they constantly spread negativity or drag other employees down, it doesn’t matter how good they are on paper.”

4: Protect your mind from negativity

Avoid negative topics for discussing. Don’t watch bad news on TV every evening.

All this can make you depressed and make it difficult to learn how to have a happy life.

Why do news channels spread negativity rather than spreading positivity?

Because fear and negativity sells and is an effective means of control. Fear creates panic which makes people want to see what happens next.

It’s a trap. Never ending.

Life is for living. And beautiful things happen everyday. Why isn’t there ever anything positive on the news?

Do yourself a favour. Reduce the hours you spend listening to news and watch you fear and anxiety levels drastically decrease.

5: Learn how to respond to Negativity online

You may receive mean comments from “keyboard warriors” on social media.

Instead of reacting with defensive or angry comments, take a couple of deep breaths, ground yourself and choose to respond with empathy & understanding instead.

Remember, it usually speaks more about the person who is writing the negative comment than you…

Here’s the strategy a friend on a post online uses to respond to negative comments on socials:

1) Acknowledge their point

2) Be upfront with your intention/goal of sharing whatever they responded with / clarify anything they said

3) Share why you respectfully disagree with their perspective

4) Remind them that they always have a choice of what views to have

5) Wish them well in terms of how often you have to do this – he mentioned something worthy:

Accepting the fact that you’d be GUARANTEED to receive negative comments, and it is simply a price to pay for your journey towards helping even more people achieve their dream career, income & life.”

And once I decided that I was WILLING to do it – I was not afraid anymore.”

6: Deprive yourself of Negativity

Stay AWAY from any negativity or negative people. If you’re already in a negative circle – it’s time to break out.

Stop spending time in any circle that thrives on Gossip or hate. Stop storing up negativity yourself. Worrying does nothing for you, but fill your head with negativity and creates anxiety.

Same with emotions such as Hate and Revenge – Negativity attracts further negativity.

Losers take zero responsibility and attract more negativity and an environment of victims.

Surround yourself with positive people, with people who will encourage you and support your goals. The winners take total responsibility, and attract an environment of winning.

Start spending more time in circles that spreads hope and positivity.

7: Change your mindset

While you can choose not to identify with any label such as negativity or positivity – the truth is we do both rather unconsciously.

The most negative minded people you know most times are not even aware how negative they are – rather they see themselves as people who are complain life the way it comes.

While in reality – their unconscious beliefs and habits keep them stuck in their negative thinking and make it easy to transfer this form of thinking to others.

So choose today to be an develop a positive mindset towards life – so you naturally start spreading hope and positivity wherever you find yourself.

Stop thinking only of bad things, get rid of your fears, and try to be an optimist.