Keep It Up b/c You're Sucking the LIfe Out of Me

Do you know someone who just sucks the life right out of you?

Everytime you ask how they are doing, you get an hour long disertation on all the woes of life. They tell you how depressing the world is and why. There is always some kind of major crisis with them.
This person is easily recognizeable because they are the ones you graciously let the answering machine respond to. When you see them at the grocery store, you duck & push your buggy at deathly speeds trying not to be seen. Or when your children wave at them, you quickly yank their hand down, and encourage your children not to yell in public.

I asked someone the other day, what do you do about these people? How do you keep them from sucking every ounce of energy and fun right out of you?
Here are 3 great tips.

1. Give toxic people limited access!

* These people don't need to be our best friends. When they call, we should say, "Hey, I'm about to...what's going on? This lets them know we have limited time.
* Don't engage in activities with them. If they need us, let them come to us. We can keep the friendship at a comfortable but friendly distance.
* Last year at the Women's Retreat, the speaker explained the same concept. We are princesses in our castles. What does every castle have around the outside perimeter? A MOTE! When we see our negative friends coming, we can raise the bridge. The mote limits close proximity but provides comfortable access.

2. Don't fertilize criticism.

When these people get cranked up telling depressing stories or talking about someone else, we can listen politely, but say nothing. We just smile but leave it at that.
It's no fun to gossip or complain alone.

3. Never give the devil a microphone.

I absolutely loved these suggestions! Life is too short to waste complaining & worrying!
What if every person in the world vowed to "keep it up," meaning keep all of our words upbeat & positive? What would our marriages and children be like? Imagine our friendships, churches, neighborhoods, and offices. The hardest place for me to "keep it up" is at home. I don't want to be the wife and mom everyone hides from when I walk in the door. I want to spend my life "keeping it up." What if when we died someone said about us, "Whenever I was with her, she always said something that made me smile on the outside & feel loved on the inside!"