EnergyVampirism
by: Ulysses Ybiernas ♦ October 15, 2015
A reflection on navigating negativity, practicing acceptance, and maintaining emotional resilience in interactions with others.
There’s a kind of challenge I’ve learned to live with: finding peace by accepting people as they are, instead of trying to change them, whether their energy is positive or negative.
Recently, someone came to me upset and crying. She had argued with the canteen staff because she couldn’t reserve lunch. To me, it seemed small, but for her it felt personal. She believed they didn’t like her, that they were playing favorites, even treating others better because of tips.
Listening to her made me realize something: sometimes it’s not just about what’s happening, but how we see it. Our mindset can shape our experience. When someone constantly feels targeted or unlucky, it can turn into a pattern where everything seems to confirm that belief.
Being around that kind of negativity can be draining. You start to feel heavy without even knowing why. Some people call this “energy vampirism" when someone’s constant frustrations affect your own mood.
But avoiding people like this isn’t always possible, especially at work. So the question is, how do you deal with it?
For me, the answer is simple: listen, but don’t absorb everything. Let them talk, but don’t carry their emotions as your own. You don’t always have to fix their problems or change how they think. Sometimes, the best response is quiet understanding, offering compassion, and if you believe in it, a prayer for their peace.
At the end of the day, there’s something bigger than all these small struggles. And if you stay grounded in that, you can keep your calm, even when everything around you feels heavy.
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