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26
Jun

0

Energy Vampires You Love: – Protective Coping Strategies

There are people in your life who share your enthusiasm and love for life; there are people who did not.

Can you remember conversations with someone you care about that made you feel unworthy, stupid, unloved, offended, fearful, and even sick.

Let’s call them “energy vampires” – the people who only “take” from you.

Energy vampires can be your family, friends, clients, colleagues, teachers, neighbours, lovers, or even strangers. And they come in all types as identified on the MBG website…

  • There is the blamer, who lays blame on everyone else without ever taking any responsibility.
  • The guilt trippers use shame to get what they want.
  • Jealous B’s can never genuinely feel happiness for anyone else.
  • Then there are the insecure ones, who pull others down to their level of low self-esteem.
  • The fun haters seem unable to embrace joy. The bullies stomp on the little guys to elevate their egos.
  •  The Debbie downers, the whiners, the short-tempers, the gossipers, the drama queens, and the list goes on…

Whatever form they take, energy vampires have one thing in common: They cannot create or sustain their own life force in any positive manner. So they latch on and feed off on others, slowly sucking the life out of them.

No doubt you know people like this. You probably care about them, too. Often, they even mean well, declaring their love for you. So it makes it hard to get away from these energy-sucking relationships.

Do you pride yourself on being able to get along with everybody, to “suck it up” and “be the bigger person?” Maybe you are even afraid to speak your mind, or don’t want others to see you as being difficult or aloof.

Perhaps you just didn’t want to alienate anyone.

But all the while, you may be sacrificing your own precious energy.

The thing is, relationships are always an exchange of energy. People either uplift us… or they don’t.

You are the guardian of your own energetic space. And to live a healthy, happy, and positive life, it is absolutely vital that you surround yourself with people who promote the same way of living.

So ask yourself: “Who is draining my life energy?”

Here are some things to think about:

If your relationship with a person has changed, did it get better or worse?

  • Can you wholeheartedly trust that person with your dreams, fears, secrets, or your heart?
  • Do you feel valued, loved, balanced, and supported?
  • How would you describe the quality of energy exchange? Is it an equal exchange or one-sided?
  • Can you truly be yourself without fear of being judged, mocked, or ridiculed?
  • If someone drains you, explore the root cause of your attachment and ask: Can the relationship dynamic shift?
  • And then you’ve got a decision to make: keep the relationship going… or not?

Of course, you may not be able to “let go” of your sourpuss boss, your clingy friend, or your manipulative spouse. You may not want to, either.

In that case, you can learn to cope by creating “energetic boundaries.” By doing so, it can help you interact with them easier while keeping your energy intact.

Jen Nicomedes Stone from Mind Body Green Website shares seven ways to cope with energy vampires:

1.  Take a deep breath and let it go! There’s no need to allow their words or actions to linger and take up space in your heart and mind.

2.  Recognize when their words or actions are unacceptable. Don’t give them permission to leech your energy.

3.  Keep things light and change the focus. Learn not to react on impulse; instead, go with the flow, and tactfully bring the situation back to neutral ground.

4.  Remind yourself of the purpose of your bond or connection (e.g., why is this person in your life, how are you associated with them?), and know that you are allowed to walk away.

5.  Take a step back by putting their words or actions into perspective. Their behavior is a reflection on them, not you.

6.  Visualize a protective light around you, like an energy shield. This can help you remain energetically neutral without letting their words or actions cut or affect you.

7.  Affirm your self-worth. You deserve to be surrounded by positive, genuine, and caring people who inspire you to be your very best.

 

Good luck, and until next time…. Namaste from Sharyn Rose

 

Original article written by Jen Nicomedes Stone who is an International Feng Shui and Destiny consultant and the founder of Feng Shui by Jen®   This is a shorter modified version of her excellent article ‘Energy Vampires: Who They Are and How To Ditch Them’, from December 27, 2012,  restructured to accommodate the teaching style of Sharyn Rose.

 

 

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