Negative energy can be more contagious than a viral infection. Even when you have made resolutions to be happier, nicer to people, and strive to be more positive, you may unfortunately encounter people who transfer their negativity to others.
I recently made an acquaintance of someone while working on a project that I was really excited to be part of. It was a project that I looked forward to, and was excited to get started. The person on the other hand, wasn’t keen on participation in the project, and rather than pull out, complained incessantly about everything wrong with the project.
Needless to say, after a couple of weeks working on the same project, the negative energy started affecting everyone else. People started to talk a little bit more about all the wrong things in the project. Now, this is how negative energy works. It feeds your mind with someone else’s negative thoughts and ideas, till you start believing them or they become a part of you.
People who give off negative energy may not know that they are doing so. It is a habit so ingrained in people, that they don’t realise the destructive effect that it has on them and other people. We ourselves may be giving off negative vibes, and the only way to find out if we are guilty, is to go through a few characteristics of people who have negative energy.
Constantly Complaining
This is one of the most common traits of negative people. Do you find yourself constantly complaining about things that other people don’t make an issue of? While some complaints may be valid and warranted, some may just be as a result of our inability to see the positive side of anything.
Rather than complain about something, see if you can find a way to make it better. If you can’t, look for whatever is positive in your situation and hold on to it. If someone around you is trying to pass on their own negative thoughts, listen to them, but don’t believe the things they say. You will be guarding your own thoughts by keeping negativity out of your heart.
The Victim Mode
Negative people believe the world is against them, that everyone does things specifically to hurt them. If you believe that every bad thing that happens to you is as a result of a conspiracy against you, you will always feel like a victim. That Facebook post may not be about you, your colleague may not have been talking about you, and that Twitter ‘sub’ doesn’t have to be directed at you.
To let go of feeling like a victim and passing off negative energy, stop believing that the world is out to get you. Even when you have it bad, remember that other people have their struggles as well.
It may not be easy to avoid negative energy, especially since we come across different types of people at work, during commute, in school, or home. The most important thing however, is to make a habit of feeding our minds with positive thoughts, so that we can ward off any negativity.
About the author: Amina Salau is a writer and editor running The Illuminated Pen. You can find her online at www.theilluminatedpen.com and on Twitter (@_Aminah)