10 Ways To Deal With A Pessimist
At your workplace, amongst your relatives and probably, amid your near and dear ones, you must have come across several pessimists. The problem with such kind of people is that they don’t just keep whining over little things,o they also demotivate you from your goal. And hence, it’s best to stay away from them. But, there are many such people around you whom you just can not avoid. What should be done in that case? Well, read this article and you’ll get the answer.
1. Identify a pessimist
Many times it happens that people accept their near and dear ones’ comments, especially negative remarks, as the ultimate truth and get demotivated. Hence, it’s important to identify a pessimist and ignore his/her words to save yourself from demotivation.
2. Nip it in the bud
If you happen to be around a pessimist and he/she starts blabbering in a negative tone, nip the conversation right in the bud. Say, this time it is your colleague who is saying something bad about your team leader who is actually a genuine person, then you can say to her that you view her as a good team leader and if you guys have a difference of opinion, it’s best not to talk about the person in question.
3. Set the boundary
If you have to avoid arguments with a friend who happens to be a pessimist, then it’s ideal to set the boundary and decide upon which topics you guys shouldn’t talk upon. For example, many times, people whine about their workplace and you may be someone who loves your office. In such a case, you may tell your friend that you would not want to talk about workplaces or your respective careers.
4. Ask for solutions
If a pessimist tries to discourage you by doubting your plan of action, then ask them for a solution. As soon as they say, “I don’t think it will work”, you ask about how will it work? If a pessimist’s apprehension is channelized in the right manner, it can really work wonders.
5. Get help from pessimists
Apart from advice, you must also get direct help from a pessimist in order to give yourself a break from their negative comments. For example, if your colleague says that the project you’re doing won’t get over by 2 days, tell them that if they help you sort out things, it’s possible. This will also boost their self-esteem.
6. Be ready with counter arguments
Pessimists will forever be armed with arguments that tell you why a particular project won’t work or why a particular thing would turn out as a flop show. Hence, you need to armed with counter arguments. Suppose you are undertaking a project as part of your community’s social service campaign and your husband tells you that it’s not going to work out because no one really cares about social workers. In that case, you can place forth a counter argument saying people need social workers because they need help and also say that you will be able to handle this project with total ease.
7. Create a line of demarcation between past and future
Many times, pessimists tend to become negative because they have had bad experiences in the past. Hence, they try to demotivate you when you begin with something new. So, the best way to deal with this is to mark a line between the past and the future and show it to them. For example, if you have an aunt who says working from home doesn’t pay you much, tell her how the situation was different a few years back and how things have changed, technology has advanced and how you will be successful, for sure.
8. Feel confident about your actions
The best way of saving yourself from demotivation is by staying motivated. For that, you need to feel confident about your own actions. After all, confidence is the key to success.
9. Laugh it out
Laughter is the best medicine and it will forever be. The moment a pessimist puts forth his/her comment, crack a joke on it and cut the topic then and there. It’s the best way to keep yourself away from pessimism.
10. Accept the fact that you’ll always meet pessimists
You may want to run away from pessimists but there is no way how you can. Because you will forever meet pessimists in all walks of life. Hence, the best way is to deal with their attitude and take them along on your path of success.