Buzz Kill's

Hey everybody, welcome to Say What Wednesday’s, the weekly segment that gives you little hacks in how to handle life’s challenges.

Today’s topic is learning how to stay away from those people I call “buzz kills.”  What’s a buzz kill you ask?  Have you ever been full of positive energy?  You know the kind of mood where the birds are chirping, the grass is green, the sky is blue and even if none of those things are true and the sun isn’t shining outside, it’s shining in your heart.  You get the picture. So you’re in a great mood and ask someone how they are doing and all of the sudden they tell you everything that’s wrong with them.  Next thing you know your positively yellow warm and fuzzy feelings have dissipated and you’re left with their negative black cloud.  These people are who I call buzz kill’s.  They come around and kill everything positive! It’s okay to protect yourself and the energy around you from negative people and I’ve got three steps to help you.

1) Notice a potential buzz kill during the first few words they speak.  If someone starts off a conversation with “Things could be better” realize that there is a possibility of negative energy being transferred from them to you.  Instead of egging the person on to spill their feelings, stop the conversation in its tracks and change the topic. “I’m actually having a fantastic day, did you see the new episode of.” The conversation is quickly off of the negative and on the positive.

2) If you don’t catch the buzz kill in the first few words and they start motor mouth talking, listen while you make a mental grocery list, decide what you’re going to have for dinner or even remember something funny someone else said. Most people who “motor mouth” probably don’t want a conversation, they just want to get something off of their chest and it doesn’t matter who they are talking to. So, you just keep your mind busy with things that will help you maintain your warm and fuzzies while their negative energy bounces off of you.

3) Kindly dismiss yourself from the conversation.  They’ve talked long enough and now you’re over it. Give yourself an “out.” Not the “Oh my goodness, you’re being a buzz kill, I have to go!” kind of dismiss but a “Hey, I have a deadline that I have to meet but we can chat later” type of dismiss.  Be direct but diplomatic.

Remember folks, it’s up to you to protect your mood and your energy! I hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of Say What Wednesday’s. If you’re in the DC area join me at my Master Class Series Workshops as learn how to navigate life’s challenges by using characters of the shows we love. In our next Master Class Series Workshop we will examine how to recalibrate your life using characters from the Issa Rae show Insecure.

Don’t forget to check me out on Instagram at Shrink Me _ Not, on Facebook at Shrink Me Not & as always on my website Shrink Me Not.com.

Until next time, Take Care of Yourself!