How To Deal With Negative People
Keep the hang active
If this is someone you need to spend regular time with to keep up appearances or for the sake of others, like an in-law or common friend of other friends, keep the hang out active. This is not someone with whom you should just get coffee and chat. Things can turn negative, quickly. Take a Zumba class together. Go to a lecture. See a movie. Do something that keeps their mind off negativity, and limits conversation.