Chances are high that all of us have been in situations like these, and most of us know that one difficult person who we simply want to avoid, no matter what.
Dealing with difficult people can be emotionally and mentally draining. But, if we let them be, they will cause more harm and damage to our lives. Let’s face it, in life we have to face these difficult people, whether we like it or not. It can be your boss, a colleague, a teacher, an acquaintance, or even a family member!
We cannot avoid these contacts in our social journey called ‘life’ but we sure can bring in tiny changes to let them impact less. In situations like these, the only thing we can change is ‘our reaction to the person‘…
Maintain Calm:
We need to be calm and composed. It is a mental work-out and requires practice. Being calm and composed helps us to choose the reaction we want to give to them. That requires being self-aware. Be aware when they’re starting to push your buttons.
Try To Establish Boundaries
One thing most of us fail to do is to establish boundaries, we tend to allow people to invade our personal space. If you’re dealing with a difficult boss or colleague, try to remain as professional as possible, minimize and limit your interaction with them to work only. If you’re dealing with a difficult relative or family member, try to establish boundaries by giving yourself personal space and alone time.
Shift Your Focus From That Person
In situations like these, we tend to focus on the person- how infuriating he/she is, how irritating he/she is, by doing this we are simply fixating on the problem i.e. the person and as a result, prolonging the negative mood state. It’s best to quit thinking about the person, and instead, focus your energy on how you’re going to deal with the situation.
Show Compassion
The point is none of us know what other people are going through. When dealing with a difficult person, it could be they are going through a very tough ordeal or dealing with a really big problem you wouldn’t want any part of. Many times when you show compassion to a person who is being difficult, you’ll find they respond positively. So many of us get stuck in our heads and in our own lives that we don’t open our eyes to when others could use some kindness. Give it a try the next time you think about it.
Distractor Discharge
It takes a lot of effort while dealing with difficult people, so give yourself some credit. Try to discharge your stress, maybe by writing, or cooking, or simply talking to a friend. However, if the situation was overwhelming for you, maybe you could try to distract yourself by watching a movie or an extra episode. The motive is to let pass your negative feelings and give yourself space and some time.
But you know what? Not all solutions work every time. We need to be flexible and listen to our instincts to protect us from any potential harm.
Be the protagonist of your life, don’t let anybody disarray your peace and calm!
(This article is a joint effort by Priya Shukla, Manasi Baindur, Muskan Mehta, and Murali Krishna who are providing online counselling support in our Mental Health Internship Program.)
Yo Zindagi is a campaign to Promote Mental Health & Emotional Maturity by engaging individuals in conversations and workshop. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.