We all know that saying, "misery loves company." It means that miserable, negative people are only satisfied when those around them are also miserable. These types of people usually dislike those who always try to be positive or who always seem to be in high spirits. What I want to know is why if you are miserable would you take pleasure in seeing others be just as down as you? Wouldn't you rather try to work on being more positive and encourage the same in others? The world is a dark place already.
It is common to expect the worst and not to get your hopes up, so as not to be disappointed. There are those out there who look for the problem in every solution, and then there are those that look for the solution to every problem. I personally always try to find the solution to every "problem" I come across, not just for myself but for others. Unfortunately, there are those out there who seem to find the negative in every positive. This is definitely the ultimate unhealthiest mindset. Not only are you hurting yourself, but those around you as well.
While happier people can sometimes help balance this out, a miserable person is a force to be reckoned with, and one that if unwatched will attempt to bring you down as well. The thing is, no miserable person wants to see a bunch of happy, cheery people around them. If this were the case, then the term “misery loves company” wouldn’t hold true.
PSA: Don't put a negative spin on someone else's positive situation. You will only be clouding their judgment that way and creating problems in their life that may not have even been there before. If they are happy, let them be!! If you want to bring them down out of jealousy due to them having better luck than you at the moment, catch yourself.
Why DOES misery love company? Is it out of jealousy? Is it out of resentment? Do miserable people just naturally attract one another? It’s actually a combination of all three, although which factors are weighted more heavily than the others will depend on the actual individual.
Keep in mind, however, that not everyone who is miserable is trying to drag you down with them. Some people who are unhappy with their current lifestyle, whether it be in the workplace or their personal life, are simply looking for a way out, and will often look to others for help, not as targets for their own misgivings. So while misery loves company, does company always love misery? Certainly not, and unless you want to despise your life as much as some people do, making sure they don’t grab a hold of you and drag you along for the ride is something to be aware of.
Miserable people aren't bad people. They aren't bad friends, spouses, family, etc. They just have a negative mindset and an unhealthy way of handling their problems. What you can do to help them is just be a listening, understanding ear. Remember to not take it to heart if they seem irritated at you or even jealous at times. Remind them of all the good in their lives and why they should be grateful. It just isn't healthy to be miserable. It wastes valuable time and energy.
It's easy to fall into a habit of being negative, especially as a young adult with so much uncertainty, responsibilities, and mishaps that seem to occur almost daily. To get through this, never lose faith that there is a light and the end of the tunnel, a rainbow after the storm.
Misery loves company because misery needs company.
The more people you surround yourself with, in time, the better you'll feel. No one should handle their problems by themselves or suffer in silence. Reach out to others if you feel upset, don't bottle it up, and certainly don't lash out at those around you without due reason.
Life is hard enough. Being negative won't make your life positive. That's for sure.
