1. Gossiping
Speaking badly of somebody else seems to have a chain reaction, Treasure said.
If you engage in gossip, you can give yourself a bad reputation and inspire others to start gossiping about you.
2. Judging
If you fill your conversations with judgments of others, you're making the person you're speaking with self-conscious of being judged themselves, Treasure said.
They'll be afraid to open up to you and may shut down completely.
3. Being negative
Treasure said that his mother, in her latter years, became incredibly negative — she would even find the disappointment in arbitrary things like what day it happened to be. Treasure would force himself to stop listening as he spent time with her.
Choosing to be optimistic will simply make you more enjoyable to talk to, he said. Plus, it's better for your health.
4. Complaining
Related to focusing on the darker side of life is complaining, which easily becomes a habit.
Before you know it, Treasure said, you'll be known as the person who complains about the weather, the news, work, and everything else. It's what he calls "viral misery."
5. Making excuses
Some people have a "blamethrower," Treasure said, putting the blame on anybody and anything except themselves when met with failure.
While others may let the occasional excuse slide, a constant stream of them reveals that you do not take responsibility for your actions.