Why is it that most of us give negativity so much more power in our lives than we are willing to give positivity, especially when that negativity is directed at us personally? I am guilty of this. I may encounter many friendly, cheerful and authentic people in my day, but if there is just one grouchy, rude, mean person that crosses my path, they are the one that impacts my perception of my entire day. One negative comment directed at me completely overshadows any and all positve remarks. Suddenly what was a “sunny” day becomes cloudy. Warmth, brightness, and hopefulness are quickly displaced by darkness, cold, and gloom. I often ask myself why I let one negative person have so much power over me. Why do I let one person ruin all of the positive interactions and emotions that I had in a day?
I need to remember this quote by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Protect your enthusiasm from the negativity of others.
I’m not talking about running from a friend in need, shielding myself from those who are having a tough time and need a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, or an ear to listen. I’m talking about those people who thrive on creating drama, hurt, and sometimes even outright chaos in groups and relationships of which they are a part. I’m talking about those people who only feel good about themselves when they have belittled someone else. Intellectually I know why people behave in this way, but in my heart, I will never ever understand.
My wish for all of us is that we all will be surrounded by sunny days and love all the time. Knowing full well that this is unrealistic, that gray days are inevitable and perhaps even necessary, I hope that we can keep our minds and hearts on the beauty of those sunny days. One or two dark gray days do not make for a dark and gray year, or a dark and gray month, or even a dark and gray week.
Protect your enthusiasm from the negativity of others.
I’ll end with this:
“If you were determined to get enjoyment out of every moment, you would learn to do whatever it took. What it takes is not listening to negative thoughts, yours or anyone else’s. Disregarding negative thoughts isn’t hiding our head in the sand, but simply not allowing the negative to clutter and influence over our experience of the present moment. The moment is never improved or helped by negativity, although we are programmed to think our negative thoughts, worries, and fears serve a useful function. When you really examine this idea, however, you see that negativity doesn’t serve. Focusing on negativity and fears doesn’t make anyone a better person, nor does doing that help us function better in the world. In fact, the truth is quite the opposite.”