One problem with dealing with inherently negative persons is that they seem to enjoy making others uncomfortable. They enjoy making a difference of opinion appear as if it is evidence for incompetence or proof of your foolishness. This is why having strategies for dealing with negative persons or unexpected negative encounters can help you protect your health, keep you happy and keep you focused on becoming the best version of yourself. Such skills and their regular application can turn out to be the difference between living your daily life with a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment or living with a sense of inadequacy and chronic stress.

The first strategy for dealing with such people is to learn to state your own position or point of view without arguing. Negative people see arguments as a challenge to their authority and they will quickly lash out in explosive anger. This will be particularly so, when that person has power or authority.

Don’t fight fire with fire. Don’t get into a shouting match. One skill that you will need to improve to become a better manager of conflicts is the skill of listening. You must have the ability to listen to yourself and to others. Ask questions that show you have been listening. This will help you identify the key elements of the situation while ignoring outlandish comments. Once you do this, you can then make the decision on how you will deal with the situation. You can do this by either walking away from the situation or by making a strategic decision to stay and change tactics. You can begin the process by maintaining a calm appearance and refusing to internalize negative comments about yourself by repeating them. Instead say, “No”.

Can you forgive? Can you admit that sometimes you could have handled the situation differently? When a person attacks you or blames you, how do you react? Was your reaction appropriate or over the top? You have to remember that it takes two to tango. When you recognize that the other person has poor conflict management skills, don’t return the favor. Think about the outcomes from your interaction or encounter before react.

Don’t get to a gun fight with a knife. Don’t trying to explain your point of view to someone who is not prepared to listen. You can’t argue with a drunk. If you recognize an emotional rage diffuse it or get out of its way. Negative persons are generally people who are difficult to get along with and often have poor conflict management skills and have a tendency to make a conflict out of almost any issue.. Aim to have a strategic goal of helping yourself and the negative person you are interacting with. This should be part of your increasing your self-mastery and relentlessly improving yourself and your wellness.