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How to Not Let Negative Events Affect You

Inevitably in life, bad things happen, affecting us and people around us. Depending on the proximity of these negative events, we may find that dealing with them is particularly difficult. Most people would prefer to cope quickly with these occurrences and get back to their lives, with due respect to the severity of the event. The way we do this is by employing coping strategies, which mitigate the effects of situations out of our control.

  1. Assigning Blame

    • Part of how people mitigate negative events that affect their lives is assigning blame in an attempt to relieve the burden of stress. This is also done to make sense of these events so they can be reconciled with the normal status quo. However, dwelling on blame and responsibility can prevent you from dealing with the consequences of these events.

    Not Taking It Personally

    • Many people feel that negative events confirm their deeply-held suspicions that they are unlucky, or that the world is against them. Keeping things in perspective is the way to minimize the effects of negative events. Worrying about events you may have little or no control over gains you nothing and it's best to concentrate your efforts on events you can control.

    Keeping a Positive Attitude

    • The most important coping strategy is to give yourself reasons to remain hopeful and optimistic. Maintaining a positive attitude is as simple as being realistic about your life and your goals, understanding that not everything will go your way. Having good habits, such as exercising, eating healthy foods and surrounding yourself with positive, active friends, will help immensely.

    Moving On

    • Ultimately, using coping strategies to deal with negative events should lead you into moving on, continuing your forward momentum or looking forward to the future. The sooner you move on, the less you'll be affected by the effects of negative events. It is healthy to have an emotional reaction to these types of occurrences, but remaining mired in a negative thought process can retard your personal growth.

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