Dealing with Difficult People the Correct Way

Not everyone is roses and sunshine; there are four types of people we are all forced to deal with at some point or another and they’re not that great. Those people are difficult, demanding, disappointing and destructive. You might occasionally even be one of those people, and you certainly know someone (or several someone’s) who fit into one or more of those categories. So how do you deal with those people when they’re related? It’s not like you can just ignore them or have nothing to do with them. Well, here’s the good news; you can handle them (even if you don’t want to).

Respond in Kind

The best way to deal with these difficult people is to do so with kindness. Don’t stoop to their level. Being angry and taking out your frustrations on others does nothing but make you feel even worse than they’re making you feel. Respond in kind. If you can do this, you can accomplish something with dignity and grace that makes you proud. You won’t have to look back on the situation with regret because you feel you could have handled it better.

Set Limits

Yes, you should be kind. However, this doesn’t mean you should be a pushover. Set compassionate limits with family members who make you crazy, treat you poorly or just make you feel bad. When they begin to cross those limits, remove yourself from the situation by excusing yourself after explaining to that person that they’re crossing the line and you will not stand for this type of behavior. Let them know you’re happy to talk to them when they’ve calmed down and had time to evaluate what they have to say.

Realize that Sometimes People Don’t Change

It can be difficult when someone in your family who usually starts a lot of conflict seems conflict free for a while. You start to think that maybe they’ve learned and maybe they’ve changed. And then they do something horrible yet again. While it’s great to hope for change, it’s dangerous to expect it.

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