If you’re like me, you’ve dealt with your fair share of negative people who somehow make you feel completely drained of your energy when you spend time with them. If you have people like this in your life then it’s essential you learn how to protect your energy.
So how do you know if you have negative people in your life? well ask yourself the following questions:
- Have you ever been in a situation where you are with someone and have to censor what you say, so they don’t get offended or upset?
- Have you been around someone and found yourself stuck in a negative mindset?
- Do feel anxiety around certain people when they walk into the room.
The best term to describe these people is energy vampires.
It’s important to identify the people who have this kind of effect on you and know how to protect energy. When you learn to set personal boundaries around negative people, you will protect yourself from these energy vampires so that they don’t drain you of your goals and ambitions in life.
What are Energy Vampires?
People with this kind of complex literally have a way of sucking the life out of you. They drain your energy and make you feel exhausted, even when they’re not around.
There is a reason why they are referred to as Energy Vampires
They are people who have a knack for drawing from your internal battery and leaving you feeling depleted and anxious.
Even if these people are not necessarily bad or malevolent, their presence can be draining because we’re constantly expending energy on them to meet their needs.
If you want to know more on how to protect yourself from this toxic energy you may like this article: The Pain Emotional Vampires Can Cause: 5 Types of People That Will Drain Your Energy
Toxic Energy
So what is toxic energy? Well, to put it simply It’s the kind of negative energy that literally drains you, just from being in the person’s atmosphere. You will immediately know if you are in the presence of a negative person when you start to feel bad, uncomfortable or worn out from just being around them.
You will notice a person has toxic energy if
- They give off negative vibes or tell negative stories
- Their attitude is always negative
- They are constantly angry at the world or their lives
- They easly get upset about every little thing
- They make you feel on edge when around them
Don’t let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out.” — Robert Tew
13 Effective Way to Protect Your Energy
Once you realize that certain people in your life are draining your energy, it is much easier to start taking effective measures to protect yourself.
1.Pay Attention to Your Emotions
Pay attention to how you feel around the people in your life. Do the people around you inspire you or do they make you feel tired and lazy?
If we get attuned to our emotions, we will become eventually become more aware of how we feel around individuals. Our body is also sending signals and letting us know if a person is safe to be around or if we should protect our sleves against their energy.
When somebody attacks you or says something mean, your emotional response will tell you if this is a deliberate attack (and therefore threatening) or just a friendly insult/joke.
This can be common in a deep relationship where you and the other person already have established this friendly banter between you.
Related: What is Emotional Health and why it’s important
But If they are directly attacking you and making it personal (as opposed to criticizing something) then chances are they have a negative outlook on themselves and using you as a way to project their insecurities onto you. This is why you need to learn how to protect your energy against this toxic energy.
2. Don't Take it Personally
It’s important to remember that people are mostly doing the best they can. We’re all flawed, and we all make mistakes. Taking things too personally can lead to a lot of negative emotions, which will eventually hurt your body, mind, and spirit.
It’s understandable to be taken back when someone says something mean or critical about you—but it doesn’t have to ruin your day! Try not to take what other people say too seriously because sometimes they are unaware of what their actions are doing to other people. If someone says something that hurts your feelings, let them know because they may have not meant anything by it.
Remember most people don’t stop to think about what impact their words have on others, and often say things without thinking about their meaning or how they’ll make others feel.
For more information on how words affect us this is a great article from pychcentral:Do Words Have the Power to Change Your Brain?
3. Practice Mindfulness
One of the easiest ways to protect your energy from negative people is by practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is a way to focus on the present moment, rather than worrying about the past or future. It can also help you relax and make better decisions for yourself.
Tips for practicing mindfulness that will help protect your energy from being drained.
- Sit down and close your eyes, taking slow deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth
- Listen to music, and let your mind wander
- Go for a walk in nature, taking in all of its beauty
- Do a few minutes of meditation to calm your mind
When we allow ourselves to become consumed by negative energy, it takes us away from our bliss and causes more stress and anxiety in our life. By practicing mindfulness, we can learn how to protect ourselves from negativity and not let it affect us.
4. Notice the people who have toxic energy
The first step in identifying toxic people is to notice the people in your life that diminish you or are unsupportive. Once you have recognized who the toxic people in your life are, you can start using Boundaries to protect yourself from their negative influence or even recover from it if they have already hurt you.
Learn more about how to set boundaries: Why Are Emotional Boundaries Important? The 3 Ways To Define Your Emotional Boundaries
Toxic people are not bad people, they are usually people who are dealing with their own insecurities and pain and take it out on other people as a way of coping. ( but this is not ok)
So Who Are Toxic People?
- They can be self-absorbed and focused on their own needs, while they neglect yours.
- They may use guilt or flattery to manipulate you into doing what they want, but they rarely take the time to really listen or genuinely care about you.
- Are rarely happy for you when things go well,
- Tend to be more interested in how something will benefit them than what it can do for you.
- They often want to put you down in order to make themselves feel better.
- Tend to be competitive, critical, and jealous of others’ success
Here is the hard part, determining if this person is someone you need to cut ties with completely or just focus on setting more boundaries with them.
If your gut tells you that this person does not have your best interests at heart and is only interested in perpetuating an unhealthy relationship, then listen to yourself! don’t allow someone to be in your life who consistently makes you feel small and insignificant.
Ultimately, no one else can make these choices for you—only you know what’s best.
5. Figure Out What Brings You Peace
Take time to find what brings you peace. For some people, it’s going on walks in nature, while others find great solace in meditating, praying, or having a spiritual practice.
Whatever it is that makes your heart and mind feel peaceful, make sure that you carve out time for these activities and make them a priority!
Everyone has a different way of finding peace through spirituality, explore your Spiritual Health- 3 Ways To Be More Emotionally Spiritually Healthy
When you are around those who bring negativity into your life can be draining it will be a challenge to find inner peace. This is why you need to work on your boundaries with people.
In the end, everyone deserves a space where they can connect with their own energy and feel good about themselves without judgment from others!
6. Learn to Say No
“When you say yes to others, make sure you are not saying no to yourself.” Paulo Coelho
Learn to say no to people you don’t want to do things with, spend time with, or be around.
This may sound obvious, but it’s not always so black-and-white. For instance, when people ask for favors that they know aren’t in line with their values or goals, there is often pressure on them to say yes out of guilt.
That can be especially true when the person asking is someone we like and respect and saying no can feel rude or ungrateful.
But sometimes our own self-care comes first—and that means setting boundaries around what our needs are and how we want them met (or not). If someone asks for a favor that would be harmful to you and goes against what’s good for your health, then saying no is just one way of taking care of yourself!
7. Build Strong Boundaries
Boundaries are the limits you set for yourself and others. They let others know what’s okay with us, as well as what is not okay. If you don’t have boundaries, it can be easy to get taken advantage of by others who don’t respect your needs or feelings.
The importance of boundaries is that they help you stay true to your values and beliefs. They also protect you from getting hurt or taken advantage of by other people who may or may not have your best interests at your heart at all times.
10 tips when establishing strong boundaries:
- Be clear about what you will and won’t do—and stick with it!
- Make a list of things that you’re okay with doing before starting a task or project
- If someone is being hurtful or abusive towards you, don’t ignore bad behavior
- Say no to anything that feels like a bad idea or something you don’t want to do
- Remember that your boundaries are like an imaginary “force field” around your body—they’re there for your protection
- Be honest about why you’re saying no (don’t give in just because someone asks)
- Treat others with respect and show them how you want to be treated
- Consider all the facts before making a decision.
- Don’t let anyone pressure you into doing something that feels wrong or unsafe
- When you speak, say what you mean and create a positive impression by combining your words with actions.
Related: Can Your Behavior Attract Positive Energy? 11 Ways To Manifest Positivity Into Your life
8. Set Firm Boundaries With Family and Friends
When it comes to setting boundaries with people in our lives, we often focus on the ones who stress us out.
But if you want to protect your energy from negative people or negative energy, your boundaries will need to apply to everyone, especially our closest relationships. Our boundaries are a rule book for how we expect to be treated and what we will not tolerate.
You can set firm boundaries with your close relationship by:
- Setting clear expectations of what you want out of the relationship and how they can support you
- Saying no when necessary. Don’t let someone guilt-trip or manipulate you into doing something that doesn’t feel good for either of you.
- Being honest about what works and doesn’t work in the relationship so that both parties know where they stand (and can change accordingly).
Remember, setting boundaries with others starts with setting boundaries for yourself. So when you’re ready, take some time to really evaluate what you will and will not tolerate.
9. Be Confident Having Boundaries and Saying No
So I know we already covered these 2 topics, but there is more to saying no and having boundaries. If you don’t have confidence in yourself and the boundaries you have set, then no one will respect your boundaries and will keep walking all over you.
It can be hard to find your self-worth, but it’s possible Are Limiting Beliefs Holding You Back? The 6 Tips To Improve Your Self Worth
Saying yes is the easy choice when someone asks you for help and you don’t want to be rude. Because it’s nice to feel helpful and caring, and it can be hard to push back on the guilt that comes with saying no.
But if the person asking is draining your energy, or if it means you will have to rearrange things in your own life, then saying no is ok and you don’t have to feel guilty for not being able to help them out.
You don’t owe anyone anything—and that includes helping them out of their own messes or personal problems. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation where someone is asking for help but you’re unsure whether it’s wise or safe for them, always go with your gut instinct first; then proceed from there. Don’t feel pressured by guilt or fear into helping someone who doesn’t deserve it (or won’t appreciate it).
10. Limit Your Time Around Negative People.
One of the best ways to protect your energy from negative people is to limit your time with them. You don’t have to completely cut out these people from your life, but you do need to be selective about who you allow in and around you.
This can be difficult when it comes to friends or family members because at times they can be a source of negativity in our lives and that is normal. But if the person is constantly bringing down your mood, criticizing what you say and do, or making excuses for their own behavior (and not taking responsibility), then they are probably someone you should limit your time with.
Related 7 Hidden Signs Of Manipulative Behaviours You May Not Be Aware Of.
By limiting your time with negative people, you will be able to protect your energy from those who can drain it. It may seem harsh or mean, but it’s important for you not to waste precious time on someone who isn’t supportive of your goals and dreams.
If someone fails to make changes after you have confronted them about how their behavior is hurting you, then you may have to consider cutting ties or limiting the time you spend around them.
11. Let It Go, Even If It's Hard
You are allowed to feel angry, hurt, and sad. You are allowed to be vulnerable. You are allowed to feel insecure and scared. You are human, after all!
We all can project negative emotions and feelings from within ourselves from time to time. But it’s how we handle our negativity and deal with our issues that can determine if our behavior is toxic or not.
Having said that, there’s also no point dwelling on these negative emotions or situations forever—they’re going to pass eventually as we move through our lives, and we don’t need to keep hanging onto them. Especially if they don’t serve us anymore.
Some situations might take longer to heal from than others but eventually, you will have to learn how to heal from past hurt and let it stay in the past.
12. Learn to Protect Yourself From Energy Vampires
In today’s world, it can be difficult to avoid negative people or also known as energy vampires. These individuals may be your colleagues at work or even family members. But no matter who they are, they can drain your energy and ruin your day if you let them.
Here are some ways to protect yourself from these types of people:
- Don’t let them talk down to you. If someone is being condescending or rude toward you, don’t let them get away with it! It’s okay to defend yourself in situations like this by telling them what you think about their behavior.
- Don’t share personal details about yourself when talking to someone who might use that information against you later on.
- Don’t be afraid to walk away from a situation that isn’t serving your highest good. If you feel uncomfortable in any way, it’s time to leave. You have the power to create your own happiness and joy by simply choosing what brings it to you.
- Don’t let someone take advantage of you, If you feel like someone is trying to take advantage of you, tell them that.
The first step to protecting your energy is knowing when it’s time to walk away. If something doesn’t feel right and the other person refuses to change their behavior towards you, then you need to leave immediately,
Don’t let negative people destroy your peace: Importance of Emotional Awareness: Know These 7 Signs of a Negative Person
13. Find Your Personal Sanctuary
Sometimes it’s not always easy to cut ties with people in your life who may be energy vampires. If you are subjected to negative energy in your household or even workplace then there are ways to protect your energy against their negative energy.
Find A Sanctuary To Recharge
- A quiet space – Find a place where there aren’t many distractions so that you won’t be interrupted by noise or people coming in who want to talk.
- Nature – Being surrounded by nature is a great way to feel calm and peaceful inside yourself! If you live near trees or mountains or waterfalls then take advantage of these natural resources whenever possible
- Prayer/Meditation – Helps us feel connected with something greater than ourselves. Praying or meditating helps focus our minds on something positive instead of all the negativity we can be subjected to on a daily basis
- Journaling– Journaling is an amazing way to release any stress or negative emotions you have. It’s like a therapy session with yourself.
It can be difficult to find or create your own personal sanctuary, but sometimes this may be necessary when dealing with negative people. Find any way that you can for quiet time, even if that means going for a 30-minute walk by yourself each day.
Find Your Peace
Never feel guilty about cutting ties or setting boundaries with negative people. It’s your energy and your life. You get to decide how you spend it, with whom you spend it, and why.
It might take some time to finally figure out who the right people are for you—and that’s okay! When we’re open to change, we often find ourselves more easily able to meet new people who add value to our lives rather than take away from them.
I hope this article on the 13 effective ways to protect your energy from negative people was helpful. If you enjoyed this article you may also like
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