Every now and then I have to keep myself on track to my goals by remembering that WHO I surround myself with is a vital part of achieving them. To do so I pull this out (originally from Jon Gordon I believe) and re-read it. Enjoy~!
“Beware of Energy Vampires”
They lurk in our businesses, our families and our social organizations. They are real. They are everywhere. And they will suck the life out of you if you let them.
If you’re like most people, it has happened to you. You were talking to someone and before you knew it, they drained the life right out of you. You looked for fang marks on your neck but they were nowhere to be found. Then you realized Energy Vampires don’t have fangs. They have other means to suck your energy.
Here are a few:
Negative comments –”Did I tell you how much I hate my life and work? Did I tell you what so and so did to me? Did I tell you how my life stinks? Did I tell you why nothing goes right?”
Dream snatching – “You can’t do that. How are you going to do that? Are you living in fantasyland? Get back to the real world. You should do this instead.”
Shrinking devices – “What is wrong with you? Can you do anything right? You are the worst. I hate working with you.”
In other situations the words may be less harsh but the result ends up being the same. Once an Energy Vampire starts sucking it is difficult to break free. Don’t let this happen. Instead be prepared to neutralize an Energy Vampire from the beginning. You don’t need a stake or garlic.
Here are 4 techniques:
Action Steps
Look in the mirror – Sometimes we are the Vampires. If we pay attention to our thoughts and words we can eliminate the Vampire in us. Are you being negative or positive? I ask myself this often.
Confront and Reform – Tell your Energy Vampire (EV) that he or she is being negative. They may not even realize it. Ask for support, positive feedback and encouragement from them. If your EV is a colleague, family member or friend, perhaps you can reform them into an Energy Addict. Show them how to spread positive energy. If they just don’t see it or refuse to do it then you may have to give an ultimatum. You might say, “This is my goal. This is where I am going and if you’re going to be negative then I can’t be around you.
Turn on the Light – When you were a child and scared of the dark you turned on the light and felt better. Negative energy is like darkness. When you encounter an Energy Vampire, turn on the light. When an EV comes at you with fear, negativity, hate and anger turn on the light and respond with love, kindness, and positive energy. Negative energy is powerless in the light. Think about what happens when someone gets mad and yells at you. If you don’t yell back they lose momentum and power. If you return with kindness they lose even more power. On the other hand, if you yell back at them then the negative energy grows and grows.
Run – Run as far and as fast as you can. This sometimes is the best technique if you are not close with the EV. You only have so much energy and in today’s world you need to keep all you have. If, for example, you are in the grocery store and you see someone who drains your energy then run away fast. Really fast.
May your day be filled with boundless energy.
“Follow the Noble Path”
– Zhenya
P.S. Post a comment below and let us know you’re alive!
I’ve lived with a very powerful EV for almost 40 years. I’ve tried everything you’ve mentioned, but even if I came back with love & positive energy, the negative comments still made a deep impression on my subconscious/unconscious mind. I recently had a session with an incredible Life Coach who showed me how to “neutralize” the EV. The next time it happened, my knee-jerk reaction was to employ my usual self-defense of issuing threats (if you don’t stop being so negative, I’m leaving!). I remembered what my Life Coach said and I apologized for hurting him with my threats. I explained that he was letting his Ego respond to the situation and Ego is the part of all of us that is our “gatekeeper” or “protector”. Ego comes purely from fear. I also explained that I would never leave him because I was in love with his beautiful spirit and went on the enumerate all of his good points…sense of humor, generosity, love, fidelity, honor,etc. and that it was his Spirit that loved. I just had a hard time dealing with his Ego. I suggested that he might want to exert a little more balance between his Spirit & his Ego. The results have been amazing. We still have a few “relapses” but they are getting fewer and further apart.
This is a wonderful reminder to remain alert and aware as our energy begins to shift around certain people. It is also excellent when we feel energy shift within ourselves. For some people, energy is the new currency and they take it from others and bank it to use themselves. Once you understand how it works, vampires become very apparent. This reminder helps to keep us in check and your action steps provide quick solutions! Thank you for this Zhenya!