Something we did in our house when I was learning how to overcome anxiety was to make catching negativity a game. I explained to everyone how negativity zaps you of creativity and happiness and that we were going to help each other delete it from our home. Haha....it was so funny how my son seemed to pick up the concept immediately. In fact even now to this day if I complain about a program on TV or something in the news, he will say...wow mom that was a negative comment. It's great.

I suppose pointing out to your mom that this is a problem for you and for so many others and that you are looking to make a change for the positive. Ask her for her help with doing so and ask her if she could try to keep any negativity to herself in order to help you with your goal. This way of she start going down a negative path while talking to you then you can politely say...."Sorry mom but I'm going to have to hop...remember I need to stay as far away from negativity as I possibly can. I love you and I will talk to you later. Hopefully she will eventually catch on that you aren't going to stick around and let negativity bring you down.

My best to you!

My mom is very negative, mainly complaining about the past and her relationship with my dad, it used to get to me, but now I tend to brush it off. I don't want that type of negative energy in my life.

What is it with mothers and daughters? My mom is also negative with everything. I have lived with it for so many years it's hard for me to be or find anything positive in life.
My brother quit coming around our mom for this reason and she kept saying how horrible he was for being this way. I pointed out to her that her actions and his actions were the same. Ever since she has tried hard to be more positive.
Things could still be better, but she is trying and that's what matters. As bad as I fid t want to point it out to her I am glad I did. Hopefully you can find a similar way of bringing this to her attention.

I wonder why if this is why we all have high anxiety?

My therapist...thinks my Mom has a lot to do with many of my negative behaviors and thoughts.

My mother is also negative.....I mean extremely negative to the point I hated being around her (she is elderly and unable to care for herself and I had to place her in a facility).
I have been studying the power of attraction which I have found quite interesting and actually true.
My understanding is you attract like people into your life. It is like holding a mirror up to yourself. Whatever you see in others is actually a reflection of yourself. So take a good look inside yourself and do necessary changes and you will start to see a shift in others and new ppl will show up in your life that reflect what is really going on with yourself internally.
I have been doing a ton of changing internally (Spring housecleaning...lol). There is sooooo much I did not like about myself and I had to explore where my beliefs came and why I adopted them.....then I purged them from me. I have embraced the changes and do a gratitude meditation. the negative ppl have been leaving and those that remained...have been less negative. I can identify the negativity and I remove myself from the situation or tell the person (this includes my mom....I give her boundaries and stick to it). My mom likes to gossip and be negative about it......so when she starts, I steer the conversation in another direction or remind her that I don't want to participate. My mom does NOT like that at all and she now keeps me at arms length (this is not new, but I notice it more. I was never wanted and she has made that clear over the years. However, she is my mom and I will not bail on her...but I limit my time with her. She is in a really nice place with tons of activities and friends).
Just a warning....not everyone (including family) will not like nor accept the new you. However, new people WILL come into your life and also will reflect your internal self.
This is all my observation. I will also tell you that it banishes anxiety and I absolutely LOVE living a positive life with good people and good health (my health has also vastly improved).

So the next time negative people show up in your life....remember....they are a reflection of you and your battles within.

Manda I'm amazed. . :)
Thank you for your story
(((( M ))))