Everyone wants to be happy and successful in life. And often, these two things go together. The more you make an effort to be happy and cheerful, the more successful you are. And the more successful you are, the more it flows over into happiness.
Increasing Positivity and Blocking Negativity
If you really want to be happy, the main thing is to have a more positive mindset. Neither happiness nor success will ever come your way unless you develop this kind of mindset. And the fact is that you can keep pouring positivity into your life, but it’s not going to have an effect if it’s all getting drained away by negativity.
The Impact of “Poisonous Playmates”
Sometimes, you may find that your life is being negatively impacted in this way by negative people. Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, calls them “poisonous playmates.” Other authors have other names for them. But they are all agreed on one thing—that people such as this can really derail your life and your career.
Negative People Impact Your Career and Your Relationships
It may seem a bit extreme to say this but negative people will not only lead you into making the wrong career decisions but will also poison your attitude towards your relationships. By constantly whispering insidious things in your ear, they will ruin your attitude towards your job, your boss, your spouse or your girlfriend/boyfriend.
Recognizing the Negative People in Your Life
Chances are, by this point in reading this blog post, you already have a picture of someone in your mind who fits this description. They are your “poisonous playmate.” For years, you may let a person like this drag you down out of feelings of pity or obligation. Or maybe you don’t really think that you are worthy of having better friends. But it’s time to step up and realize that you deserve to have positive people around you.
Avoiding Negative People at Work and in Your Personal Life
So the next time your “poisonous playmate” comes up to you at work and starts gossiping about someone behind their back, tell them you have work to do. You don’t have to be rude. Just say it in a convincing way. And keep saying it over and over until they get the message. The next time that friend of yours comes and starts complaining about how terribly the men in her life treat her, give her the same treatment.
It may feel lonely at first. But you’ll soon find that new, positive friends will come pouring in to take the place of the ones you have lost. And they’ll enrich your life with their support and positivity.
