How to Deal and Manage Toxic Relationships
What Founders Need to Know to Build and Maintain Relationships While Keeping Their Energy Up
I'm Manuel Saez, I write to help founders master emotional intelligence to make decisions with clarity 🌻 EQ coach, 2X-founder & award-winning designer ➜ I love fixing old motorcycles 🛵 🏍
Reading time: 4 min.
Contents:
Recognizing Negative Behaviour
Setting Boundaries With Negative People
Staying Positive When Faced With Negativity
Handling Negative People In Professional Settings
In my life, I found many people that felt like energy vampires. People that made me emotionally tired after every interaction made my life simply unhappy.
In many cases, I think I exacerbated the negative impact on my life. I did not know what I was dealing with and had no clue how to protect myself or steer the relationship to a good ending.
Reflecting on these experiences, I've realized the importance of recognizing and managing the influence of negative people.
Here, I share a few simple and practical tips and strategies I wish I had known when I was younger. These strategies helped me navigate and mitigate the effects of draining relationships, guiding me toward a more balanced and positive life.
Recognizing Negative Behaviour
Negative people can often be challenging to identify, especially if they are close friends or family.
Identifying a negative person requires careful observation of their words and actions.
I remember I used to ignore the signs to avoid conflict willingly, but in the end, it cost me more emotional pain, and the relationship never recovered.
When people show you who they are with their actions, believe them.
It's essential to pay attention to how they make you feel when around them; it can be helpful to note how their presence makes you feel before, during, and after interacting with them.
Listen to your intuition, as it never lies.
Look for patterns in behavior such as criticism, self-defeating talk, pessimism, bullying, and avoidance of responsibility.
Negative people may also lie or deceive others to get what they want without considering the consequences of their actions on those around them.
They might even try to manipulate the situation so that someone else takes the blame for something that was their fault.
If any of these behaviors seem familiar, it likely indicates a negative person who brings down those around them instead of lifting them.
Being aware and understanding the sign is an essential step in removing this kind of energy from your life so that you can focus on more positive relationships and growth opportunities.
Setting Boundaries With Negative People
Deciding to remove negative people from your life can be difficult.
But before taking this step, it's crucial to understand how to set boundaries with these individuals first.
Doing so will help ensure they don't have more power over your emotions than necessary. It may seem unsafe, but with a few simple actions, you can limit their presence in your life and make it productive.
It all starts with recognizing when someone is being negative.
Awareness of the signs of negativity can give you the upper hand in setting your boundaries as soon as possible.
This could involve anything from restricting communication channels to avoiding specific topics altogether. Ultimately, it comes down to what works best for you, even if it feels uncomfortable initially.
Once you've identified where boundaries need to be set, having a conversation is the next step. Talking things out helps create clarity between both parties and gives everyone involved an understanding of what is expected going forward, allowing you to move on positively and confidently.
Crafting conversations around boundary-setting doesn't have to be rocket science. Honesty and openness are paramount when expressing yourself clearly yet assertively. You may get some pushback at this stage, but you must be strong and communicate clearly.
So, while establishing firm boundaries might not always be easy, taking the steps now will ensure that you won't be stuck in endless emotional anguish.
Staying Positive When Faced With Negativity
Staying positive can be a challenge when faced with negativity. It's easy to slip into the same negative patterns, and it can be challenging to break out of them without support.
However, there are things that you can do to remain in a positive mindset even if those around you aren't as upbeat.
Here is how you can stay positive when confronted with negativity:
Be mindful of your internal dialogue - Your thoughts shape your attitude, so make sure they're supportive and uplifting instead of critical or judgmental.
Practice gratitude - Even in challenging times, focus on the good things that have happened or the blessings in your life.
Surround yourself with positivity - When possible, spend time with people who lift and encourage you rather than bring down your mood.
Find an outlet for stress - Whether it's exercise, writing, music, or something else, find activities that help you relieve tension and relax your mind.
Handling Negative People In Professional Settings
We all have to deal with difficult people in professional settings. Recognizing the person's traits contributing to their negative attitude and how it can affect your work environment is essential.
Many times, these heated emotions result from underlying issues they're facing outside of the workplace, and you need to be able to recognize potential problems before they arise.
The best way to handle negative people professionally is by addressing the issue head-on.
Ask them about any challenges or frustrations they may have on the job, and try your best to offer solutions or help where needed.
Be sure that whatever solution you provide meets both parties' needs equally; otherwise, it will only increase tension and conflict between you.
Showing genuine concern for their situation can go a long way towards resolving any unresolved issues quickly and efficiently, so don't be afraid to take the initiative when faced with complex cases involving other coworkers.
Navigating the presence of negative people requires awareness, boundaries, and a positive mindset, especially for entrepreneurs and founders.
By recognizing negative behaviors, setting clear boundaries, staying uplifted amidst negativity, and handling challenging personalities in professional settings, you can safeguard your emotional well-being and maintain focus on your vision.
Remember, the energy you allow is the energy that will prevail.
Sending you good vibes 🌻
Manuel
Manuel Saez 👉 manuelsaez.com