Welcome to Wellbeing Wednesday, The A-Z of Wellbeing. This week we are focusing on guarding your energy, including some top tips to help you around energy vampires!
Someday’s it’s hard enough trying to generate enough energy for yourself, without having to worry about someone else draining it. These people, also known as energy vampires are tough to be around. They drain your energy and make it harder to get through the day.
If you are unfortunate enough to be in a close relationship to someone who is draining, it can be an ongoing struggle. It’s easy enough to say guard yourself, but how do you protect your energy from draining people?
Beware of the vampires!
Guarding your energy and keeping this practice up is a challenge when the people around you cause drama, chaos, and pain. If everyone could manage their own behavior, it would be so much easier to remain energetic.
Here are some top tips for guarding your energy from energy vampires.
Know what type of people zap your energy. It may be obvious when someone is wearing you out, but some people can wear you out even when you are enjoying their company. Become aware of what type of people and social situations drain your energy. Some examples could include-
- People who require constant emotional support- Insecure people require a lot of emotional support. Though they may be delightful human beings, their need for approval and engagement can be exhausting.
- People who over analyse and complicate things- From micro-managers, over-thinkers and people who need to process everything verbally can be draining. Setting a limit for how much you engage these types of people can help you maintain your energy.
- Intense social situations- Whether it’s a contentious family dinner or a protest, intense social situations can be draining. Standing up for cause can be important but diving too deeply into multiple social settings that are chaotic and intense can zap the energy you need for day-to-day activities.
Be conscientious about who you are around on a regular basis as well as what social situations you find yourself in. Limit the types of draining people and situations to the minimum possible.
Want to read more about self reflection then check out this post here
Guard Your energy With Smart Social Skills.
Choose your activities wisely- Whether an activity is emotionally or physically draining, be sure to guard yourself from intense social situations. This might require opting out of an intense meeting or declining an invitation to a party because of who might be there. Make yourself the priority and do what is right for you.
Some examples of social situations you may want to avoid could be-
Unstructured parties- Gathering for the sake of getting together can be fun! A BBQ or random drinks can be a great way to see people you don’t ordinarily have time for. However don’t feel as though you have to commit to the whole event. If the energy vampires strike, it’s ok to slip away and protect yourself emotionally.
Dysfunctional family gatherings- Nothing puts more pressure on people to do things they don’t want to do than holiday’s and family. The expectation to be together out of respect for the event and the institution of family can cause a lot of stress. Stand up for yourself and your immediate family and refuse to attend dysfunctional family gatherings that simply rob you of your energy.
It’s Time To Take Charge
Operating out of obligation and attending social gatherings you’d rather avoid isn’t healthy. It doesn’t do any good to allow draining people into your personal space intentionally. There are enough things draining you already. Learn to set healthy boundaries and control your environment as best you can by identifying and avoiding the people and places that zap your energy.
You can take charge of your life and limit the people and the experiences that drain you. Setting healthy limits with the people who drain your energy and avoiding occasions that wear you out emotionally helps. In the long run, you’ll have more energy and feel more in control of your life, and that my friends is a win win!
As always share your thoughts in the comments section below. I’d love to hear your top tips for how you guard your energy.
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