How to Protect your Energy.
How to Protect your Energy.
For centuries different civilizations and religions have accepted that we are not just physical objects. As energetic beings we are susceptible to giving and receiving energy transactions via our interactions, expectations and emotions on a daily basis. As author of The Secret, Rhonda Byrne states you are energy,and energy cannot be created or destroyed. Energy just changes form.
Illuminating, right? Have you ever noticed how at the end of an intense work meeting or event you need a moment to hold space for yourself because you feel depleted and tired? Or how after escaping a long-winded conversation with a nosy neighbor you feel frazzled and off-center? Studies show that some people such as empaths and highly sensitive people (HSP) are more strongly affected by other people’s moods and emotions. Dr. Elaine Aron, a leading scientist in the psychology of love and close relationships states that 1 in 5 people are highly sensitive. Going even further, 15-20% of every species are highly sensitive. That’s right, your high maintenance cat or troublemaker canine could just be processing a heightened experience to external or internal stimuli. Even if you aren’t more sensitive to subtleties in your surroundings, even the most confident alpha woman or man should feel empowered to protect their energy in order to realize its full potential and live an abundant life.
Navigating your daily life while protecting your energy doesn’t have to be a constant battle, or we would have already lost trying to find a park near the office or mall entrance. One of the easiest and foundational steps to setting yourself up for energy symbiosis is the morning ritual. Personally, I feel like this morning ritual is about to become the next big thing because if 2020 gave us anything it was time – The thing we need the most but use in the worst ways. Setting your morning ritual with meditation, journaling and grounding practices will help you to feel good mentally and stable emotionally, so that when you do get to whatever you need to do that day, you’ll feel less affected by negative external energy influences. For some people, a morning ritual can mean supporting the physical body with gentle movement and healthy food. Listen to your body and practice self-awareness. What makes you feel grounded in the morning? Make time for that and hold that space for yourself, no matter what.
Continue the practice of filtering what comes into your energy field on your way out the door, to work or wherever you are needed that day. While driving or commuting, listen to an inspirational or informative podcast. Avoid abrupt news channels or gossip shows on the radio which can stimulate our sympathetic nervous system, (a.k.a. your fight or flight response) because it inundates us with stimuli. Set your web browser to open on a positive message or quote, maybe a favorite meditation or mantra site. No news sites, only peaceful vibes, thank you! On that note, follow only positivity on social media so whatever is coming into your space via your phone is crowded out with positive energy.
In the theme of being selective, take stock of your social circle and ensure that people who bring value to your life are present. Motivational speaker Tony Robbins famously said that the five people you spend most of your time with shape you. Make joyful shapes. So, curating your hobbies and environment sounds fantastic right, but what about that negative Nancy coworker or moody mutual friend you aren’t quite ready or able to cut out of your life? While we can’t very well avoid a direct report at work or peace-out from an important meeting, we can set boundaries and shift our mental state. Healthy boundaries mean that when the conversation turns negative or rumor-driven, keep your words only on business and avoid the negative workplace gossip. People will soon get the hint. Shifting your mental state from a place of judging to a place of perceiving can take you far at work and in personal relationships. Instead of thinking, “Oh that was really mean, or why did he say that to me?”, approach it from a place of deep respect that everyone is where they are in their journey. Understand there may be reasons people are being triggered. It’s important to recognize this as a projecting and/or coping mechanism. When people feel good about themselves, they don’t have a need to lash out at others. Brian Weiss, author of Many Masters, Many Lives says that love is the connecting energy. Love crowds out fear and it heals EVERYTHING. While you can’t directly change another person’s energy, you can be self-aware, compassionate and hold a space for yourself. Self-care is a non-negotiable when protecting your personal energy.
I know that this sounds like a lot. As you are reading this, you are probably thinking, I am a mom, with 2.5 kids, a partner and a job, I don’t have time to take 30 minutes for myself in the morning, to set up browser settings and to go through my social media accounts. “I am NOT getting up earlier, are you mad? I am already exhausted!” I so get that… I really, really do. I don’t expect anyone to do the impossible, but what I want to highlight for you, is that protecting your energy can make you feel more energized and can increase your lust for life. Start with 1 small thing, like practicing yoga once or twice a week, or taking 10 minutes to meditate in the morning. As you start this process, you will notice the changes, and it will become easier to make more, and bigger changes in your life. Filtering the energy that comes your way will become 2nd nature, I promise you that much.
When things get too much and you find yourself getting swept up in a stand-off, go for a walk, in nature if that is possible for you. If you’re truly stuck, even booking yourself a meeting room for ten minutes for some guided meditation and deep breathing will immediately help you reset. Call a family member, or a friend from the curated circle. Your energy is yours. Set an intention to prioritizeyour needs on a daily basis and continually check in with yourself.
