Staying Positive Around Negative People - The IFS Method You'll Want to Try

The most common question I get after my talks on positivity is:

“Okay… but how do I make the other people in my life more positive?”

You might be thinking of your boss. Your partner. A coworker. A teenager. The friend who always has a complaint ready before you’ve even finished your coffee.

I’ve shared plenty of practical tools over the years, but studying Internal Family Systems (IFS) has given me a new approach that’s been a game-changer. Not because it fixes the other person… but because it changes what happens inside of me while they’re being negative.

Let’s use a real-life example.

You’re with someone you care about, and they start venting about their family / the news / their job / their health / the world. You know the vibe.

Before you even realize it, a part of you jumps in:

“Ugh. Here we go again.”

Your shoulders tighten. You feel an inner eye-roll. Maybe you start planning your escape route.

Then another part shows up:

“Stop being so reactive. Be nicer. Be more compassionate.”

Now you’re irritated… and judging yourself for being irritated. Sound familiar?

Here’s the IFS self-leadership move I’ve been practicing in those moments:

The Inner Pause

You do this quietly, inside, in real time:

Step 1:

“Hello. I see you.”

(That’s for the irritated part.)

Step 2:

“And hi to you too — the one who wishes we weren’t so bothered.”

(That’s the inner critic/fixer part.)

Both parts are welcome just as they are.

Step 3:

“I’m here. I get it. Let me handle this.”

(This is your True Self stepping forward.)

And here’s the magic:

Even if those parts don’t change at all, they stop running the interaction.

So instead of reacting automatically, you might:

• take a breath
• stay grounded
• listen without losing yourself
• respond more consciously
• choose what you want to say — if anything

Maybe you don’t say the perfect thing.

But the energy changes.

There’s less edge. More space.

A quiet inner steadiness that says:

“I can be here with this.”

That’s the real win.

Your True Self didn’t silence your parts.

It simply held them, saying -

“I’m here. I see you. I’ve got this.”

And because of that, You stayed in charge.

To browse (and share!) past positivity tips, visit this page.

Tina Hallis, Ph.D., strives to be a thought-shifter, providing cutting-edge programs that blend the science of positivity with the transformative depth of Internal Family Systems (IFS) to unlock deeper self-awareness, healthier interactions, and lasting positive cultures.