Energy Suckers

I had a completely different post in mind for today but due to the light of recent events I wanted to write about something that has hit very close to home. I find the subject of energy suckers very intriguing due to my interest in psychology (and also my recent love of yoga and mindfulness)!

So, to start off I should explain. Energy suckers or energy vampires are people who with their relentless negativity drain all the (positive) energy and life out of other people. No matter how good mood you're in, they can manage to turn your mood upside down and leave you feeling exhausted. They spread their negativity by endless gossiping, badmouthing and/or their pessimistic attitude to absolutely everything. Therefore, relationships and friendships with these people can be very toxic.

I consider myself an optimist, some would say even to the point of annoying, always trying to find the positive in each situation and striving to believe that everything happens for a reason. Getting older (I know, I'm only 24 but it's been a long road and a huge learning curve from my teens) and getting to know myself better I have come to realize just how draining it can be to have energy suckers in your life. Looking back I now realize that at one point I had lost a little bit of the optimist in me.

It is very easy to become blind to this and the numbing effects energy suckers have on you when you are too close to the situation. Once you gain a little distance and are able to observe the situation from an outsider's point of view, it might become clear to you just how exhausted and emotionally numb interactions with energy suckers might have left you. You, like me, might have the tendency to sometimes put other people's need before your own and want to help other people be happy. However, trying to help an energy sucker can lead to them dragging you deeper and deeper into the hole of negativity they dug for themselves.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that they are bad people. They might not even realize what they are doing and how others around them are affected. I've learned that practising self-awareness and getting more in touch with who YOU are can help recognize thoughts and behaviors reflected from other people. Sometimes you need to distance yourself from these people or even cut the cord completely. A big realization for me was that I do not need the negative energy in my life and chose to concentrate on the positive.

So, if you are dealing with energy suckers, I found an interesting article on Psychology Today about how to handle these situations.

 Remember to concentrate on the positive and have a good Fri(yay)day everybody!