1. Don't let it get you down. If you find yourself becoming negative in turn, then it is time to leave their presence. Some people are pessismistic by nature, and that does not mean you should avoid them. However, if you feel like they are chaging who you are, then it is time to find new friends. You do not want to be friends with a negative nancy only to become one yourself. So, be careful in your friendships that you learn how to separate your views and feelings from those of the people you associate with. It is okay to acknowledge and understand their negative views without actually sharing them. If you start to, give yourself some distance.

2. Encourage the positive. Whenever they say something negative, counter it with a positive. You do not have to be super cheery, or fake, but just remember that there are two sides to every situation and coin. So, for example, if you are eating pizza, and they say they hate one of the toppings you can say, "Oh I know, but don't you just love.?" this gives them a chance to feel validated in their feelings, and then be positive as well. So, work on keeping things from spiraling into a negative turn, but don't do it in a way that makes you look fake or odd.

3. Brush it off. Just remember that the negativity is just an opinion, and that opinion does not have to be yours. It can be hard sometimes to be around someone that is negative all the time, unless you learn to brush it off, and just realize that is who they are, and their choice on how to view the world, not yours.

4. Learn to take them with a grain of salt. Often times negative people just say stuff because they can. It is always easier to be negative than positive, so don't let it bother you, instead take everything they say with a grain of salt. If you tell them you bought new clothes, and they say something negative about it, just remember that is how they are, and move forward with your day.

5. Remove yourself if you need to. The most important things about dealing with negative people is knowing when too much is too much. If you can't deal with it any more, then don't. If it is starting to darken your mood, or put you in a position that you feel uncomfortable, walk away. You are your own person, and that is your prerogative.