Q: Sara has a friend that has always been there for her, but her friend is always negative, can’t seem to go a day without saying something nasty about someone, be it a co-worker, a stranger or a celebrity …it’s making Sara uncomfortable but she knows that if she says anything to her friend, she will get upset ….
A: Sara’s friend is obviously unhappy with herself and nothing Sara can say will change that. sara has to maintain a positive boundary, walk away when it gets to be too much. Try to help her feel more positive about herself switch the topic to something else with a positive spin.
And finally question what you’re getting out of this negative relationship?