How do I stop my co-worker's negative comments from driving me nuts?

The co-worker who works nearest to me complains about things CONSTANTLY. She can find the tiniest little thing and spin it into a negative comment. It's gotten to the point where I try to avoid conversation with her, because her negativity is starting to bring me down. I know she has no idea that she's being negative so often, and if I point it out, she'll certainly be offended.

Here's a typical example: Every day she gets in the office an hour before we're supposed to be here. Why? I have no idea. She's not that busy during the day. Anyway, this morning, she didn't get a parking space in our lot, and had to park one block away (for free) and walk. She complained because she feels she should have a space if she comes in as early as she does, and that she didn't have her boots on to walk in the snow. (1. It snowed YESTERDAY, 2. The sidewalks are clear and salted, and 3. I park there all the time. It's not a big deal!)

How can I tune out her negativity and not let it bother me?

Think of something positive to say about every negative thing she says. "Oh, you had to walk. Well at least you got some exercise." Maybe it will drive her nuts and she will get the point.

You feel angry or upset about this?
This simply means : you feel that it is your unconscious responsibility to change her / make her to be a kind of person you want her / expect her to be...
You must let go of your inner child's responsibility inside you and put it where it belongs. You must let go of your inner child's sense of obligatory to change others to be like you expect them to be.

Bake some cookies with ex-lax in them and serve them to the entire office for being ignorant to your problem. **** em'. That's what I'd do. lol.

tell her that you are at work and all you want to do is do your work and you can't afford anymore then to do your work only when you get at work.

just that I AM NOT TRYING TO BE RUDE BUT ALL I REALLY WHAT TO DO IS FOCUS RIGHT NOW AT WORK.

best thing=IGNORE HER.....FIGHTING AT WORK WILL CAUSE YOU OR HER TO LOSE YOUR JOB.....

I wouldn't let her negative energy bring you down.. She probably just wants someone to listen and "agree" with her... I would just say Wow ! I'm sorry that happened to you and move on.. It validates what she says so she can move on and find something else to complain about- it really has nothing to do with you and there's probably nothing you can do to change it...

Good luck

Ignore her? I mean, come on, people can be stupid and annoying. You've got to learn just to keep working. You're obviously letting this get to you, which I must say isn't the brightest idea, so let it go and take her out to lunch. Make nice with her. She'll either get better or worse, and what have you got to lose? A bit of your time? Five bucks for the dollar menu?

I just ignore them... If you have an Ipod, just listen to that... that's what I do at work... and no one bothers me.... There are some people that live unhappy lives, and they feel it's there job to share that unhappy feeling, that's what makes them happy.... I just return them a positive remark, as hard as that might be, hopefully they'll come around... If not, thank goodness for Ipods... :)

How about turning it into a private little game? Every time she complains about something, see if you can somehow put a "sunny" spin on it. It might help your frustrations by making you mentally having to concentrate on something else immediately and it might just have the added bonus of irritating her. (or subtly showing her what she's doing, but I highly doubt this as most negative people really don't know that they are).

I like the "sunny spin" concept. If, whenever she says something negative, you can say, "on the other hand, it's a nice day" or, "at least we all got to work safely", or "none of us had to go to war" or "there are a lot worse problems in the world".... she might get tired of your constant positivism and stop talking to you. Or, even to say, "I like to look at what's right or good in life." But I guarantee the sunny spin concept will work!