Q&A: How can I Shield Myself from Other People's Negative Energy?

Q: Dear Soul Analyse,

I try to stay positive but I often find myself surrounded by negativity, and I also feel that I am more sensitive to negative energy than I used to be, leaving me worn out when I’m around certain people.

A friend of mine calls me on an almost daily basis to feed me gossip and general negative chit chat, I don’t want to hear it but at the same time I don’t want to be rude, and my friend doesn’t have many people she can talk to. My family are also very negative, and I feel awful after spending any amount of time with them.

How can I stop other people’s negative energy from impacting me and my happiness?

Yours, Kate

A: Dear Kate,

It sounds like this may have been happening for sometime, which would explain why you are more susceptible to negative energy now – negativity is draining and it will wear you down if you allow it into your life. 

The first thing to ask yourself when you are absorbing others’ emotions is – am I caring for myself? In this case, you may be allowing people to take too much from you, so the answer would be no. Having boundaries in place will help you to put your own emotions first, which is a crucial part of caring for ourselves. It is worth noting that each person is responsible for their own wellbeing and if you are feeling drained from other people’s negative energy, it is your responsibility to make changes. “You can’t Love Until you Love Yourself“, explains more about boundaries. 

Allowing yourself the right amount of space from those who are negative will certainly help you to recuperate and get back to a balanced state of mind. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to cut all contact but evaluate how much of your time and energy you are willing to give.

Sometimes we are placed in situations, such as our jobs, where we have no choice but to be surrounded by negativity. In situations like these, there are some techniques you can use:

Don’t engage in negativity – negativity breeds negativity, so don’t participate in any conversation that involves toxic energy, and you will find it coming your way less and less. 

Feel compassion for negative people – feel compassion for people who are negative, they often have a range of underlying issues and are lacking inner peace. If you find yourself feeling upset with them, you then become the persecutor – find out about the Drama Triangle here. 

Boost your inner strength – when you reach a high level of consciousness you will experience new depths of peace; outside situations no longer faze you, read “Mastering the Shift to Higher Consciousness“, to learn more. 

Lastly, surround yourself with people who make you feel good and bring out the best in you, people like this are hard to find, so hold onto them!

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Yours, S.A