Once you’ve broken the negativity habit and replaced it with positive and encouraging behavior, it becomes normal. You may have never realized how much negativity was impacting you until you felt the absence of the stress that comes with it. Before long, you’re going to want everyone to experience the power of positivity!

The best thing you can do to win friends and influence others is continuing to be positive… especially with negative people.

Being positive in front of negative people can help them see there is more to a situation than they may realize. You may recall what it was like to act negatively and know that sometimes people have blinders to what is positive. Your positive behavior might help them see things through your lens.

Being positive in the face of negativity can help others:

• Stop assuming the worst
• Stop negative forecasting
• Stop blurting out hurtful things

One person can disrupt the flow- Sure, there may be negativity in the midst but one positive person who is mature and confident can disrupt the flow of negativity and help override a negative person. Simply state the positive things out loud and encourage the group to focus on what’s right rather than what’s wrong. Look for blue skies- Negative people predict negative things. Negative forecasting puts a damper on things before they have a chance to materialize. It can get people riled up when there may be nothing to be concerned about. Worrying or predicting a bad outcome does no good. Look for blue skies. Think about what can go right and override negative forecasting with positive outlooks. Better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt- Abe Lincoln knew what he was saying when he made this famous quote.

“Speaking ill over a person or a situation is never going to help. Being a positive influence can curb negative talk. Your encouraging words can prevent someone from speaking poorly about a situation or a person. Your positive words can help give a better view to a situation, which can influence negative people to be more positive.” – Abe Lincoln

Being positive can affect negative people in a powerful way. Your positivity can help others learn to see things in a new way and help them grow into more positive people too. Model your positivity and help influence others at the same time.