Accentuate the Positive

I hesitate to write the following words that condemn actions and attitudes that I have been guilty of in the past. As I have grown older, it would appear that I have accidentally matured to the point that I no longer want to be the negative, hateful, complaining person of the past. Oh, I still have my moments to be sure; I just no longer want to live that miserable life in general.

And I don't want to be around it, either.

How do you protect yourself from the negative people that worm their way into your life? Some of them are hard to avoid. Some may be your neighbors, co-workers, friends and even family. Avoiding their presence is not possible. Is avoiding the joy draining negativity possible? How do you deal with it/confront it/eliminate it from your day?

Does a positive attitude and disposition shine a little light into the gloom of their life or does the gloom eclipse the light?

My problem is that is so easy for me to get caught up in that negativity; to find fault in people, things, work, life. I have to work pretty hard at being a nice guy. The natural John is kind of a jerk. He's the kind of person that I try to avoid--and really don't want to be.

So...
How about a little bit of help from my readers? Tell me how you maintain your positive attitude in the presence of such people.

John <><