At some time in your life, you’ll come across a person or people who want to steal your joy from you. It may happen to you far more than you could ever imagine. You’ll need to teach yourself how to handle such situations to avoid taking self-esteem hits and wasting your precious time wondering what you did to become a target. Here’s some helpful information about people who try to steal your joy and four ways to stop them at the gate.
Why People Might Want to Steal Your Joy
Understanding why people might want to steal your joy could help you develop a defense strategy. However, you shouldn’t put too much of your energy into the why. After all, soldiers don’t waste their time trying to figure out why the war started when they’re on the battlefield. At that point, they fight to survive and preserve their lives. That’s what you have to do. You have to take the necessary steps to protect your emotional, psychological, and spiritual health. Gaining some insight can shield you a little, but you still need to carry heavy artillery. These are a few of the top reasons people might want to steal your joy:
Misery Loves Company
Do you know the quote, “Misery loves company”? Have you seen the movie “Misery”? They’re both true in life. Sometimes, people are just plain miserable. These people make conscious decisions to bring other people down instead of finding the right way to lift themselves.
Miserable people might be particularly bothered if they see that you are resilient despite being an underdog in most situations. These people will do anything they can to knock you down right when you start to crawl again. If they can make you miserable and keep you on a level lower than they’re on, they will always have someone to insult or tease about their circumstances.
The Spirit of Jealousy
The spirit of jealousy runs rampant all over the world. People have it sometimes, even when there’s no logical reason for it. Jealousy doesn’t always attack people who have material wealth, corporate prestige, or successful marriages. It doesn’t discriminate at all, and this makes it a concern. You could be poor, alone, sick, jobless, and not have much at all, but some people will still be jealous of you. These people will still feel that you have something they don’t. It could be your empathy, strength, or courage, and they will hate you for it.
Your Spirit Doesn’t Jive With Theirs
Spirituality has a lot to do with hateful people and joy thieves sometimes. Some people experience feelings of rage when your spirit doesn’t align with theirs. It doesn’t matter how sweet you are to them or how kindly you treat them. They will have the desire to hurt you because of the spiritual conflict. Some folks may not even be aware of it, but does it matter? You can still end up being the recipient of an attack that could potentially steal your joy.
They Enjoy Kicking People When They’re Down
Unfortunately, some people simply enjoy hurting other people. These are usually the narcissistic and sadistic types. These types won’t stop at stealing your joy for a day. They’ll try to annihilate you completely if they can. Usually, these types have spiritual and psychological ailments that need attention, but it’s not your job to be their emotional punching bag while they figure that out.
Four Ways to Stop Joy Thieves Right Away
Don’t be discouraged about protecting yourself now that you know many people might want to steal your joy. Instead, consider using one of the following tactics so that you never let anyone steal your joy ever again:
Walk With Confidence
You have to start walking like a soldier if you want to combat the joy bandits. You’ll need to keep your head up high and push right past any desire to “feel bad” about anything such people say. You’ll need to be comfortable in your skin and proud of who you are. Recognize your value and your attributes and assets so that you can protect and defend them. The people who try to steal your joy are not gods. They’re flawed people just like you, and they are no better than you are.
Be Thankful for Everything You Have
Focus on everything that you have instead of what you don’t have. Many joy thieves successfully strip other people’s happiness by using comparisons to degrade them. You can combat that by keeping your eyes on your prize.
What’s important to you? What’s your idea of success? What makes you happy? If you already have those things, it shouldn’t matter what anyone else’s ideals are. Don’t worry if you don’t have everything you desire, though. There’s still time for you to acquire those things. Each day is a new opportunity to achieve new accomplishments. Don’t ever worry about the next man or woman, though. What they have shouldn’t matter in your world.
Terminate Unhealthy Relationships
You must terminate all relationships with joy stealers immediately. You may not notice that they are joy stealers at first, but you need to take action the moment you do. Anyone who constantly insults you is a joy stealer. People who sow discord in your life are joy stealers. People who restrict your financial flow are joy stealers. Sabotage campaigners are joy stealers as well. You owe it to yourself to separate from anyone who doesn’t want you to be happy or prosperous.
Cultivate Positive Relationships
Building a positive network of friends and acquaintances can help you combat joy thieves as well. Spend time around people who have a genuine interest in your wellness and happiness. Talk to people who don’t insult, criticize, demean, invalidate, or berate you. Eventually, you’ll be able to see negativity coming at you from a mile away. You’ll feel how different their energy is from what you’re used to experiencing now, and you’ll shut them down swiftly.
Continue to Build Your Self-Esteem
Continue all the top self-esteem-building techniques, such as reading self-help books, getting involved in spirituality, joining support groups, practicing positive affirmations, and the like. You will feel yourself becoming stronger and healthier as you continue to feed yourself with positive nourishment.
The joy stealers will launch attacks as they see you healing and recovering. Don’t pay them any mind. Disengage if you find yourself getting caught up in the nonsense. Strategize if you find yourself stuck in a trap. Learn to play chess like a champ and disappear like Houdini.
Those are a few ways you can prevent people from stealing your joy. Awareness is your biggest asset and the first tool of defense. Always stay aware of what’s going on around you, and then you can learn to survive with finesse.