Day 145 (A Hundred & Forty-Five) of 365 days
Energy vampires are people who — sometimes intentionally — drain your emotional energy. They feed on your willingness to listen and care for them, leaving you exhausted and overwhelmed. Energy vampires can be anywhere and anyone. They can be your spouse or your best friend. They can be your cubicle mate or your neighbor. Learning how to identify and respond to this toxic behavior can help you preserve your energy and protect yourself from a great deal of emotional — and physical — distress.
Being an adult sucks — there’s the endless pressure to act like one, the demands of work and personal and interpersonal relationships, and the responsibility to take care of yourself. To survive and thrive we need a hell of a lot of energy, both physically and mentally (emotionally). We are energy beings. Life is energy, projected and received in various ways. So what could be worse than someone sucking that energy out of your life and reducing your ability to cope with your everyday challenges and chores?
If you’ve ever had an encounter with a person that left you feeling tired, drained, or even feeling guilty for something that isn’t your fault, then you may well have been a victim of an energy vampire.
People can’t steal your energy if you don’t invite them to.
You have free will: you have a choice as to how much time and energy to spend with and give other people. You can and should set limits and boundaries because, at the end of the day, you’re always at a disadvantage if you let others suck the life out of you. If you’re naturally compassionate, you are at risk of giving too much of your energy away. So when a person is causing you to feel exhausted, irritated, stressed, or depressed, you should take a step back and consider your position.
Arguing with others, particularly those who have rigid beliefs, will only cost you time and energy. While it’s tempting to disagree and argue it out, recognize that for people to change, they must be willing to change first. Don’t get red-faced and exhausted debating with someone who refuses to even consider your point. You’ll leave stressed, upset, and maybe even lose sleep. Not good. Just walk away!
You can’t change what they say or do, but you CAN change how you respond to it. Your mission? Don’t let it in. Don’t let their words penetrate your skin and start spreading their poison within you. Let it wash off you like water off a duck’s back. Inside keep repeating: “This is about YOU not about ME!” and “Just because you said it doesn’t mean I need to believe it.” And if you start to believe it, it is only because you are looking for validation outside of you — that’s something that you can control.
