Most people like to keep drama at a minimum in their lives, but sometimes it’s not so easy. During stressful times or when dealing with certain people, you might find drama popping up more than you’d like.

Maybe you’re at a breaking point, and you’re ready to finally eliminate the drama from your life once and for all. Keep in mind that it’s nearly impossible to eliminate it all together, but there are certain strategies you can follow to keep it to a minimum.

Consider adding the following strategies to your drama elimination methods:

1. Keep to yourself whenever possible. It’s almost always best to adopt a “mind your own business” attitude when you’re dealing with other people. When you snoop around in someone’s business, you really never know what can of worms you’re opening. If someone asks or invites you into their life, that’s one thing, but you should avoid the urge to pry.

2. Avoid participating in gossip. Humans are social creatures and they tend to talk about each other. Sometimes you might think that your gossip is good news, so it’s okay, but you never know how someone else might spin what you’re saying. It’s best to avoid it whenever possible.

  • If you have issues with someone, have a conversation directly with them. Then they’ll know how you feel without hearing a version of the story from someone else.

3. Make efforts to stop gossip. You’ll no doubt be in situations where you’re not participating in it, but you’re hearing other people gossip. It’s difficult to go against the crowd and take a stand, but you must if you’re serious about eliminating drama.

  • You can choose to be silent and that way you won’t be held accountable, but you can also politely say that maybe the subject at hand should be changed to something else.

4. Be cautious when meeting new people. Of course you want to be friendly and inviting when you’re meeting people and making new friends. However, keep your guard up to some extent because you really never know when something you say might be seen as hurtful or offensive, even when you didn’t mean it that way.

  • Before sharing personal opinions, ensure you know someone well enough to prevent misunderstandings.

5. Analyze past dramatic situations. Think about the scenarios that led to drama for you in the past. Was it a simple misunderstanding? Is there a topic that always leads to drama and arguments? You can definitely learn from past situations that transpired negatively. Reflection can help you avoid those similar situations in the future.

6. Learn how to release your emotions in a healthy way. Drama can lead you to feel some strong emotions. Even if you’re trying to eliminate drama, you can’t just avoid everything that you’re feeling. It can lead to more upset outbursts, since you’re just bottling up those strong emotions. Instead, learn positive ways to release your emotions.

  • If you’re starting to feel upset because things are getting heated, remove yourself from the situation. Grab some fresh air and return to the situation once you’ve found a cool head.
  • Exercising is a great way to release emotions and pent-up stress.
  • Daily relaxation is also important. Do something that you enjoy each day just for you!

Remember that some people just love drama, and they might be trying to stir some up for you. Refuse to participate in their game. You can choose what you want to allow into your life.