Negativity is Contagious!

Negativity is a virus. It spreads so quickly and fast that you don’t even realize you are under the influence of it. It’s more destructive than we might think. Negativity often lurks in the shadows, ready to pounce on our vulnerabilities. It creeps through social media feeds, news outlets, and even our internal dialogues. Think about how you feel after reading depressing news or hearing about an unfortunate event in someone else’s life. It spoils the entire day. We keep discussing that subject with our friends and coworkers at the office. Then it spreads like fire, and everybody seems to be talking and prodding about the same topic. Sometimes, you come across a friend who complains to you about the other friend. Then, what happens? From my experience, initially, I try to listen with no reaction. But gradually, I get pulled into the conversation and become part of it. I started seeing the negative things in the other person, which was invisible to me until now. It can happen both ways, and sometimes I start the fire of negativity, and it continues for long.

It’s so common. As I said before, negativity is infectious, and you get the disease the moment you are exposed to it. This virus tanks people’s performance and leads to toxic interactions within the community. Even at the workplace, one person starts criticizing the company or the managers, and the other becomes part of that conversation. After the discussion, we returned to our busy work, but that negative thought lingered in my mind. This negative thought leads to overthinking and doesn’t let you trust your boss anymore. You start doubting the entire organization and the people working there. Slowly, this can become a habit, where you and your peers meet and criticize the boss. As much as we think complaining can help us process our anger, it is not the best solution. After venting out, you don’t feel better; you become angrier and more aggressive.

We are wired to conform and be attached to a group. We are social animals, after all. We avoid conflicts and debate. Our surroundings easily influence us. If we’re in an environment of gossip, competition, and negativity, we start to see the world in those terms, just like the coworkers in the office. We are social creatures who get most of what we want in life- peace, love, and understanding- from the group we gather around us. Our brains adjust…