How to handle negativity around you?

All of us at some point or the other in our lives have encountered varying shades of negativity in several forms. No matter how good you are, there will still be some people who will speak ill of you and run you down.

Negativity can spring from your home, workplace, toxic relationships – from anything and anyone that drains your spirit. So, how do you handle it?
 

Six simple steps to tackle negativity that has worked for me:
 

First, take a step back
If you wish to counter attack negativity, you got to first take a step back to re-assess and regroup the energies of your soul.
 

Get out of the fighting ring
Second step, come out of the fighting arena and ask yourself what battles are you fighting? Are they big enough to matter and small enough to win?
 

Gather all your energies
Third, once you have ascertained the nature of your battles, gather all your energies. Replenish your drained energies through silence, prayer, mediation, etc. Find time to be all by yourself and gather every ounce of your energy.
 

Increase the power of your goodness
Fourth, you cannot counter negativity by being bad to others.

You can only counter it by increasing the power of your goodness. Do not allow others to take you down to their level. You raise your level higher, so that they will be unable to reach you.
 

Understand
Everything happens for a reason, even the so-called negative things. Once you have understood the higher purpose of why certain things happen with you, life stands explained. It becomes much easier to accept and handle.
 

Allow karma to catch up

Do your best and leave the rest to God. Trust me when karma catches up you need not have to do anything. Karma does everything for you in ways you can never imagine or expect.

By the time you have gone through these six simple steps, you realise you are much more calm and at peace with yourself. You will join the league of those people who will be very difficult to unfaze or rattle.