Have you ever felt like your energy is being zapped by the people around you?
Or perhaps there have been times when you have got something on your mind that you cared more than you should and it has latched on to suck the life out of you?
A recent article by Lia Love that was posted on FinerMinds classified energy vampires into two groups. Physical and non-physical.
To help you fend off these mind and body energy suckers, let's first look at the physical vampires.
Physical vampiresare the people in our lives that take energy from us either intentionally or unintentionally. There are five types.
1. Negative energy vampires
These are your Debbie Downers who are unhappy all the time. They feel like the world is against them and like to find people to commiserate with.
To protect yourself: Wrap an imaginary protective shield around you to deflect the negativity. Do not engage and keep the conversation going. Excuse yourself from the conversation at the earliest opportunity before they drain and wallow you in their misery.
2. Needy energy vampires
These are the people who constantly seek attention. They can never do and be by themselves. They text you non-stop and call you frequently with nothing much new to say, leaning on you leaving you exhausted.
To protect yourself: Set boundaries and use your common sense. Say you are busy to create the space you need to be selective with what you are willing to entertain and help out with.
3. Controlling energy vampires
These are the control freaks that need to be in charge. They think they know everything and what is best for everyone. They like to dominate and find ways to make you feel small or not good enough.
To protect yourself: Be assertive and speak up for yourself when applicable. Pick your battles, there's no need to argue about everything. Agree to disagree. Remind yourself that their behavior isn't about you, it's about them and their insecurities. Don't take what they say personally.
4. Two-faced energy vampires
These are backstabbers. They are nice and sweet when you are face-to-face with them but talks behind your back or look for ways to trip you up and bring you down.
To protect yourself: It's hard to spot them immediately but if you notice they are always gossiping or bad mouthing someone for no reason, it's a sign they should not be trusted. Don't participate in the drama. Avoid them like a plague.
5. Self-absorbed energy vampires
They think the world revolves around them and are always seeking attention and fishing for compliments. Their main interest is "˜what's in it for me?'
To protect yourself: Flatter them when it is warranted. When the conversation becomes a one-way street, respond by not offering a question rather respond with a statement and say that you got to get going.
Non-physical vampiresare the things that cannot be seen. They can stem from your interaction with physical vampires, when you allow yourself to take on their stuff and be affected by their words and actions.
It can also be you trying to keep up with societal pressures and pace of life letting the "˜busyness' of life consume you. If this is the case, slow down. Revisit your priorities. If applicable, take things off your plate. You can't serve the world and strive to be better if you are constantly on the go and don't find time to take care of yourself.
Other forms include ignoring painful memories, hiding secrets, choosing to hold on to pain, time traveling i.e. re-living the past and worrying about the future. When you live in a negative state of mind, it can have a tremendous impact on your body and mind. This baggage can manifest itself into physical pain and dis-ease in your body if you don't find ways to take care of it.
To protect yourself from these energy vampires in your life, it all begins with awareness. Notice if you feel tired and drained. See if you can discover a pattern. Some questions to consider: When do you usually feel this way? Who are you with? What is happening then? What are you doing?
By noticing how you are feeling, you are in a better position to decide what you are going to do to make yourself feel better. Be it changing your thoughts or choosing what you are willing to accept and allow into your life. Decide for yourself what you can do to optimize the way you maneuver your energy in your daily life to safeguard it for the people and things that matter to you.
Some Amazing Comments
Comments
