We all have them don’t we? The negative people (more often than not family members) that bring us down. Maybe it’s in the form of a backwards compliment or a comment that leaves us drowned in guilt. It happens. We all experience what it feels like absorbing other people’s negative thoughts and energy. This post is all about how to block negative energy from others. Because sometimes, we’ve just had enough!
How to block negative energy from others
When it’s your last straw, or your bucket is full and about to be tipped, these are some things that have personally come in handy for me on how to block negative energy from others. By the way, when we talk negativity energy here we’re talking about unnecessary negativity. Not constructive feedback from our loved ones or friends.
[postgopher]
Set boundaries for dealing with their negativity
There’s always the family member with something to say. I know there are certain family members that I cringe when I see. I fast forward in my head to comments or looks they’re going to make and picture myself walking away feeling depleted. Negative energy can do that. By absorbing other people’s negative energy and negative thoughts, our bucket is left empty. Countless times I’ve walked away from these draining family members with headaches and an overall bad attitude.
In order to stop absorbing their energy I had to set boundaries for myself (or risk being extremely honest to them in a room full of people….). These are a few things I did to help me learn how to block negative energy from others:
– Only saw them with a group of people
– Only allowed certain topics for discussion
– Allowed contact through messaging only – avoided phone calls
This was a big step in blocking negative energy that I was getting from those family members. It really did help. So try setting boundaries that work for you and commit to enforcing them. I’ll be honest, the family members I have haven’t even noticed. Sometimes they’re so wrapped up in their own negative energy that they don’t. And life continues on as it was for them… you’re just a lot happier!
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Choose not to see them anymore – stop absorbing their negative energy
They’re aren’t many people in my life where boundaries didn’t work. But there have been some instances where it hasn’t. I’ve explained things to them, I’ve changed topics, I’ve only allowed contact through messages and still it’s like their negative energy and negative thoughts still follow me around. It didn’t matter whether I only saw them in a group, I still couldn’t stop absorbing their stuff and it was really taking a toll.
This is when I had to make the big decision of no longer having them in my life. This is a complicated yet empowering decision to make. While it can look like a negative move, it’s not when it’s done for the right reasons. Respecting yourself enough to know that a situation isn’t going to change and you need to step away from it is an invaluable lesson in life. The trick is while you might leave with negative energy (which usually comes in the form of anger and good ol’ grudges… I feel ya!), practice eventually loving that person from a distance. Try to learn to accept them as they are but respectfully knowing it’s not for you.
For me, this meant avoiding certain family events and situations where they would be there. And I can honestly say it’s made me a happier and easier person to deal with. When you stop absorbing that person’s negative energy and negative thoughts, you create space to think for yourself. We remind ourselves that dealing with their negativity is a choice and we have the power to choose how to block negative energy from other people (including of the choice to walk away!).
Choose your voice – don’t be guided by someone elses negative thoughts
I know I was someone who was always easily influenced by other people’s negative thoughts. I’d come into a situation positive and sure of what I could do. Then a family member would say something that would throw me off. Again, I’m not talking about constructive criticism. I’m talking about people telling you something when they’re not in the arena themselves. For example, when we start a new job, fitness routine, way of living, there’s the family member who tells you why it won’t work. Or full of stories about how “this bad thing happened to someone they know”.
We’ve all heard it, but worse, we’ve all absorbed it. There’s no encouragement, only negative energy that sticks to us like glue. That’s when I made the choice to just stop absorbing. Absorbing other people’s negative attitudes is also a choice. We can choose instead to value our own voice and know the difference between someone’s negative energy and someone with valuable feedback who’s been in our position. At the end of the day protection from negative people comes in the form of stubbornness and valuing ourselves. We are the only ones who are in our shoes. No one else. So it’s up to us to decide what advice works for us and what doesn’t. Someone else’s negative thoughts can be left with them. We just have to choose it.
These are genuine tips that have helped me navigate the few really difficult relationships in my life. I hope they’re useful for you in learning how to block negative energy from others and find ingthe strength to stand your ground when it comes to protecting your wellbeing and happiness.
