Negative emotions left untreated result in fear, anger, frustration, loneliness, depression, and helplessness. Even the best of us wear down emotionally. Negativity surrounds us, and over time you become like a sponge and soak up all the negative energy around you.
No matter what goes on around you, you’re still in control. You can’t control all the situations around you, but you can choose how you respond to each of them.
Here are a handful of situations where negative emotions appear.
1. The terrible boss
I get it. Your boss sucks. He’s unappreciative, a douche, unfair, and not as smart as you. Quitting seems the logical choice. Yet, not everyone has that option.
When it comes to handling your boss, you need to develop a shield that would make Captain America proud. Don’t take the easy way out and blame your boss for everything. Don’t be juvenile and bad mouth him or her to all your coworkers. Take the high road and don’t slack off. Your personal brand is on the line.
Use your horrible boss as motivation to create a better opportunity in the future for yourself. If you must quit, research your options before doing so.
2. Annoying coworkers
Unless you are lucky enough to work from home or have minimal contact with people, you’re likely to have dealt with a shoddy coworker. Coworkers can ruin the best of situations.
From lame water cooler jokes, to the pick up artist, to the overbearing health guru (no one cares about your juice cleanse), coworkers are stressful.
Imagine that your negative coworkers have the plague. It’s infectious and deadly, so stay away from these people at all costs. Avoid them in the break room, go outside and appreciate nature, or read a book.
3. Work is draining
Do you work to live or live to work?
Society is obsessed with productivity and time is the easiest metric to measure it by. You end up having to do more and more each day to feel like a success.
Lower your stress and don’t get caught up in the rat race. How long you work isn’t important. It’s about the quality of the work that you perform in the time you have.
4. Clients are a nuisance
Being your own boss is awesome and rewarding. Chasing payments from people … not so much.
Instead of seeing a bad client, view it instead as a terrible situation. Bad clients are people who you continue to work with despite their substandard behaviors.
If you’re losing sleep, eating extra ice cream, or dreading the meeting, it’s time to end the relationship. It takes two to tango, so part of the blame is on you for not taking action. No amount of money is worth your sanity.
5. News is a waste
Eight out of ten stories in the news are negative. Letting the news (an outside source) invade your personal space is easier than you think. Whether you turn on the television or read articles on the Internet, the news is filled with negativity. Negativity sells.
When was the last time someone donating to charity or community building was the main story compared to the latest scandal?
Do yourself a favor and turn the TV off and close your browser. If it’s important, you’ll hear about it through your friends since everyone will be mentioning it.
6. Society loves to judge
People are quick to share their opinions on how you should live your life. Have you had dreams of living abroad, running your own start-up, or going back to school? At some point, you’ve heard someone say, “You’re too old,” or “You need to quit dreaming and be realistic.”
If you let people’s opinion influence your decisions, you’ll forever be a prisoner and full of regret. We’re all meant to be different. Don’t be a sheep and follow blindly. Have some belief in yourself. There is more right with you than wrong with you despite what ‘everyone’ might say.
7. Friends can bring you down
Friends, at times, are a heavy burden and negative influence on you. Friends can emotionally weigh you down with their problems and negative outlook on life. You want to be there for them, but their attitude over time will start to affect your life.
Learn to recognize friends who make you feel blue. Separate yourself from their problems. You don’t have to join in on the negativity and absorb their problems to be a good friend.
8. Let go of the comparison game
We all compare ourselves to others. When comparing ourselves, we only see what the other has that we want, not what they’re missing.
These people are human just as you are. They have no super powers. They’re imperfect people trying to figure out this thing called life, just as you are.
Let go of the comparison and realize you’re awesome enough already.
9. Body image issues are unnecessary
With magazines, marketers, and shady fitness companies, it’s easy to get down on yourself. Relying on these for your measuring stick is a recipe for disaster.
Though you may feel terrible or tell yourself you look out of shape, thoughts are just thoughts. The mind can be tricky at times.
Don’t let deceptive advertising or unrealistic images determine your self-worth. Love yourself for who you are and you’ll soon be on your way to not only a better place mentally, but you’ll exude a confidence that will change your career and social life for the better.
10. The past doesn’t control you
Regret can haunt us for years. “What if … ,” “I wish … ,” and “I should’ve … ,” are expressed when reminiscing about the past.
Before you are able to move ahead, you must accept the past for what it is. Embrace who you are, treat the past as a lesson that will serve in the future to make you a better person.
11. The present is all that you can control
Your current situation isn’t what you expected. Perhaps you aren’t where you thought you’d be at this moment.
Walking around and feeling like a failure isn’t going to bring success any closer. Telling yourself you’re worthless and this dream life is a pipe dream isn’t going to make you any more motivated.
Live in the moment, appreciate it, don’t take it for granted, and don’t allow self-loathing to enter the picture. This moment is all there is.
You can’t change your past, but you are in charge of your present. So take control of it and steer your future in the direction you want it to go.
12. Social media is not as it seems
Social media is one giant fantasy land.
Take a look at your Instagram feed or Facebook timeline. Most likely what you’ll encounter are pictures of people smiling and having the time of their lives. Looking at this might make you question why your life isn’t exciting.
Here’s the truth.
Their life isn’t that exciting. Social media is a platform where people can pretend to be something else by picking and choosing what to share.
Don’t fall for this trap. Realize people use social media as a highlight reel for the best moments in their life.
13. Just say no to drama
It’s never a dull moment with the drama crew. They’ll make the smallest issues into something large.
Do yourself a favor and cut them out of your life. The only people that deserve to be in your circle are people who are positive and make you want to be a better person.
14. The people closest to us can be the toughest
Sometimes those closest to us are the hardest people to deal with. You want to become healthier and join a gym, while your significant other is content being lazy.
Don’t argue with them, that’s a waste of time. Try to empathize with them and see their viewpoint, then you can use the middle ground as a starting point.
15. Family can be overbearing
Families can be annoying, especially if you’re doing something outside the norm. As difficult as it might be, you need to stick to your guns and follow through with your goals. They have their life and you have yours.
