Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern.

Friday Fix: Episode 229

Have you ever spent two hours dreading the fact you were going to see someone for an hour? If so, you gave that person two extra hours of your life.

Have you ever blamed someone for ruining your day or putting you in a bad mood? If so, you gave that person power over your emotions.

And if we’re not careful, we might waste a lot of time and energy thinking about or complaining about them. Or, we might let a negative person influence our behavior in an unhealthy way.

We give negative people too much of our time, energy, and mental real estate in many ways. And the truth is we all let negative people sometimes take a toll on us at some point. 

On this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I share the top five signs that could indicate you’re giving a negative person too much power over your life. I also explain the steps you can take to empower yourself to be the best version of yourself regardless of how others behave. 

When you realize that you’re doing it, however, you can create positive change. You can limit how much of an impact you will let a negative person have over your thoughts, feelings, and behavior. 

More About the Podcast

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Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too.

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Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors. Thank you. 

For media or public speaking inquiries, contact Amy here.

Download the Transcript

Links and Resources

  • Follow Amy Morin on Instagram

  • Check out Amy’s books on mental strength

  • Friday Fix: 10 Ways to Say No and Stick to It

  • How to Deal With Difficult People With Psychotherapist Andrea Bonior

  • Friday Fix: 5 Boundary Mistakes to Avoid