It can be hard to know what to do when you know someone doesn’t like you, but you’re not sure why. Maybe you’ve tried to be friendly, but they always seem to avoid you or give you the cold shoulder.
If you’re not looking for a confrontation, there are obvious things you can do to try and repair the situation. This could be inviting them for a coffee, offering your help with something, or just answering their mean stares with friendly smiles and an open heart.
However, if you’re not willing to gain their favors either and just want to know how to treat them without escalating things or allowing them to disrespect you, then read on!
How to treat someone that hates you?
1- Treat them with caution:
It can be tough to deal with someone who hates you. It’s important to remember that you don’t deserve to be treated badly just because someone is not so fond of you.
But one thing that you want to do before doing anything at all is to treat them with caution. They may not have your best interests at heart, so it’s important to be careful around them and, to keep this in mind at all times. Don’t give them the benefit of doubt and don’t trust them too much with a drink they hand you or if they want to meet or lure you into a private area.
Regardless of how you’re choosing to treat them and whether you’re trying to patch things up or not, you’re not obligated to show them trust or believe anything they say. You don’t have to be rude either. Just keep your safety a priority, and be smart with making sure you don’t put yourself in a vulnerable position.
2- Let them run their mouth:
One of the hardest things to do about someone who hates you is to just let them run their mouth. It can be difficult to let someone talk profusely about nonsense or private matters of yours, but try to master this skill.
This person obviously has a lot of anger and negativity built up, and they need to let it all out. All you need to do is let them. So if people come to you and say that that person has a lot of negative things to say about you and clearly doesn’t like you, let them be. In fact, even if they come to you in person or try to let you know in some indirect way that you’re not their cup of tea, just let them.
If you can just stand there and pretend to listen with a smirk, eventually they’ll tire themselves out and move on and you would’ve been the bigger person. It might not be the most pleasant experience, but it’s certainly better than getting into a fight or barking back at them.
In the end, it’s important to remember that this person’s hatred is their own problem, not yours. So don’t let it get to you and just let them vent until they’re done unless they want to make a habit out of this. So if they want to make you their punching bag and come find you to reprimand you or make digs at you every time they can, you might have to stand up for yourself which brings us to the next point.
3- Put them in their place, if necessary:
If someone really hates you, there’s not much you can do to change their opinion. But, there is definitely a way that you can protect yourself from their harm and poisonous tongue. And, that is by putting them in their place whenever they cross the line.
Let them know that their hatred is unfounded and that it is not welcome and will not be tolerated. Tell them clearly if they keep poking you around and getting on your nerves purposefully that they have chosen the wrong victim and that you’ll have to stand up for yourself and show them your teeth if needed.
This way they will understand that going after you is going to be troublesome and that you’re not an easy target. So they will be inclined to keep their hatred to themselves and not express it against you in any way. If you grow tired of having to stand up for yourself though, try avoiding them as much as possible. If they see that you’re not interested in interacting with them, they’ll probably get the hint and leave you alone.
4- Keep your distance:
It is not easy to deal with someone who despises you and it is not worth trying to gauge how much they hate you. You could end up getting hurt or falling into a trap by continuing to seek their company or trying to repair the relationship. The best thing you can do in this type of situation is to keep your distance.
Do not try to befriend an enemy because it will not work and you cannot guarantee that they will not backstab you. If possible, try to avoid them but if you must see them, be polite and keep the conversation short. By doing this, you are letting them know that you are not interested in being friends with them or pretending and hopefully, they will leave you alone.
In fact, this is an important point to make: do not feel obliged to entertain people that you know hate you. You might think you’re smart and that you will play them or predict their next move, but it’s just not worth it.
Becoming a hypocrite and putting on a smile to be around someone that you know hates you and that you probably don’t like much either, can be draining. It will suck out your positivity and make you a bitter and spiteful person which will only poison your soul in the long run.
5- Surround yourself with people you love:
Surround yourself with people who love you. This will help you remember that not everyone in the world hates you. And, try to remember that the person who hates you is probably just projecting their own hatefulness onto you.
They probably feel so much hatred inside that they cannot stand to see anyone happy. So, in a way, their hate is a sign that they need help. Hatred is a heavy burden to bear, and no one should have to go through life feeling that way about someone, especially not for no reason. Just remember that if someone hates you for no reason, it says more about them and their own fears and insecurities than it does about you.
Being surrounded by people you trust and love can not only be a good way to stay sheltered and protected when enemies are lurking around. But, it can also bring you a lot of joy and positivity and help you focus on being happy. Also, you can check this article out on how to adopt a positive mindset that can help you through a situation like this.