Have you ever met someone who just seems to suck all of your happiness with their presence like a vampire? So have I, multiple times. It can be emotionally and mentally draining, especially when you don’t know how to avoid them. I call them the "Negative Nancy’s" (or "Nathaniel’s") because some of the things they say or do just gets under your skin and ruins a good mood. Life’s already a roller-coaster, why should you let someone else make it harder for you? There are five traits to spot and how to counter it with positivity:

1. They try to tell you how to do things.

Problem: Whether it is as simple as food choices, picking a selfie or even what songs to listen to, they give you their opinion on how to do things and how it should be done.

Solution: Be honest with them. Let them know that their opinions are heard, but it's ultimately your decision. No one can tell you how to live life.

2. The “Promisers”

Problem: The "promisers" are the one that’s promise to help you achieve a goal or do something for your benefit, but fail to do so and repeatedly with no warning. Once the promiser fails, you have a hard time asking, yet believing that they’ll come through for anything.

Solution: Whoever came up with the phrase, “I won’t believe it until I see it,” must’ve understood because that is what you can say when they make an empty promise.

3. They complain an awful lot.

Problem: If I had a dime for every time someone complained, I would be rich. Whining is okay, but not to dwell on excessively to the point where you sound like a broken record.

Solution: It’s okay to tune them out or cut them off and express how they can look to the better side or find a silver lining.

4. Never moving outside of their comfort zones.

Problem: Learn to be comfortable doing things alone and spreading your wings. Not everyone has the motivation and energy that you do.

Solution: Often times, life forces us to leave our comfort zones in order to grow and become a better person through experience. When someone refuses to move from their comfort zone, it can affect you by preventing your growth.

5. The “Spinners”

Problem: Pick and choose your battles carefully for this one. Sometimes it's helpful to see the other side of a situation, but ultimately, you have to remember that not everything is going to be bad.

Solution: In public relations, you often hear about "spinning" a story to benefit the client. However, in this case, it is the opposite. “Spinners” are people that can turn good news and feelings to bad by spinning the story.

There are always going to be "Negative Nancy's" in your life. They come in different shapes and sizes. The trick is to learn how to distinguish them apart from everyone else. Set your boundaries, bask in the sun of positivity and don’t over-analyze it. No one is perfect, but you can always spread your positivity and make the world a better place.