How to Cope With Negativity
We recently discovered a disturbing website which sole purpose is to make fun of other people on the Internet. We found this due to some traffic coming to our blog, and sure enough, they were talking about us. It really hurt Kels and I and really deflated our passion for blogging for a few days. They were in our head. But as we talked about what we were going to do about it, we decided to do what we know how to do best: Blog about it!
I'm not going to tell you the name of the site that it was, because that would only be sending traffic their way, which is the last thing they need. But there is a bigger issue here that we had to work through and that is how to forget about the negative and focus on the positives.
4 Ways to Cope With Negativity
- Focus on the positives. It's easy to get caught in the negative and it really tears at us emotionally, but we must focus on the positives in our lives. We try to be optimistic rather than pessimistic most of the time.
- Don't fuel the fire. One of the worst things we could do is to angrily respond to a negative comment. Usually this starts a downward spiral that does not end well. Can you think of time when responding to negative Nancy made a situation better? (Repeat: made the situation better, NOT the way you felt.)
- Keep an inspiration folder. We have gotten some pretty amazing, eye-opening and heart-melting emails and comments from readers that far outshine the negative comments we have received, but it seems that one negative comment weighs 17 1/2 times the amount of one great comment. So I keep an inspiration folder in my email box and file away the lovely emails that readers send to us. When I'm feeling low, I can go there to help turn my frown upside down.
- Pray about it. This should probably be the first step in the process. We prayed for our enemies as Luke 6:27-28 tells us to do: "But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you." So that's what we did. We prayed for them.
After talking through these points, we got over our hurt feelings pretty quick and we are stronger because of it. We encourage all of you to not dwell on the pain or hurt that has been caused to you, but to pray for your enemies and let God carry your burdens.
Chin up. Life goes on.
How do you deal with negative comments?