by Vic Ryan Agot

Created on: September 10, 2009   Last Updated: September 11, 2009

"Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them", says W. Clement Stone. Humans need people, called "friends", to associate and to share our life experiences with. They influence us in as much as we influence them; however, we occasionally associate with people, may it be our friends, officemates or family members, who seem to have their paradigms inclined to the negative side. They tend to drag us down and cloud our outlook with their negative energy and suck all our positive thoughts dry. We want to reach out to them and reinvent the way they see life but we have yet to break down that barrier which is whether or not we should let them know they are being so negative?

As a person who cares, it is significant that you let him know about it; of course, how the message is delivered matters. Sometimes, how it is passed across makes a difference more than the message itself. Impart it to the person concerned in a way not offensive for him not to get defensive. Show him that this act is carried out of your genuine concern for him and you are not trying to shun his opinion. Focus on the deed and never get personal with him. Lend him your listening ear and ask him to elaborate his view. Let him know your say and really discover something positive in any given situation. Whatever you do, do not get into argument with a negative person for it will just fuel the fire.

Do not always expect a happy ending; negativity can become a habit that he may never fold but at least you made an effort and you stood by your positivity. Once you made him aware about it, there is a tendency that he will fight you if you try to change him; bail out if necessary. To emotionally detach from a negative person does you a favor; and the person too. It is better for both of you to 'agree to disagree' than to risk your own mental and physical health.

Go out with people who have a positive outlook of things. Listen to songs that promote love and peace, not those that encourage rage and hate. Be thankful and always count your blessings. Appreciate your work and others' accomplishments. You need to have your negative thoughts in check for we at times digress, make sure you always end up going back to the home team, to positivity that is.

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