There’s nothing like a cold snap to make you pile on the extra layers. Donning the ‘big coat’ is an instinctive thing, you know you need to do something about the fact that the bitter cold could have an adverse effect on your health. But does it ever occur to you that it equally makes sense to protect your own energy from adverse situations and negative people? By adverse I mean the frown from a complete stranger which upsets you because you are already having a bad day or trying not to get flustered in a supermarket full of harassed shoppers. Take a minute to remember an interaction or situation which instantly had a negative affect on your mood.
You might be wondering what I’m talking about when I mention ‘your own energy’. It’s a big subject but I’m a holistic therapist so it’s one I often talk to my clients about. To put it simply, we are all made of energy and human interactions are all about an exchange of energy. Some people instantly lift you while others instantly drain you! We all start out in life seeking all that is good and positive but along the way life experiences change the way we think and behave, maybe we become over cautious, acutely sensitive or very cynical. Whatever personality traits we develop, it is our energy which puts them out into the world for others to feel and experience. Some places almost bristle with negative human energy – think overcrowded doctors waiting rooms, exam halls, stressful workplaces.
The expressions, ‘he/she drains me’ or ‘that place gives me a bad feeling’ really are just an instinctive reaction to a person or place that affects our ability to stay positive – to stay true to our own innate energy. Manners, necessity and habit mean we override this instinct and expose ourselves to all sorts of negativity.
Negative interactions and environments affect our ability to stay optimistic and this drain on our positive energy if left unchecked will ultimately affect our well being.
So what to do? Everyone is different and everyone approaches the idea in their own way. My clients already know the simple techniques I use for protecting my own energy, perhaps these are best shared in the context of a holistic treatment when our minds are truly engaged with the idea that each part affects the whole. However a good step for you as you are reading this is to imagine yourself facing a person who drains you – now step back from this scene and re-enter wearing your ‘big coat’, your hood is up and the tails of the coat skirt the ground, the big coat is cosy, comfortable and its colour looks great on you – the person you are facing gives you the cold shoulder but you had anticipated their chill and are buffered by your big coat.
Take a moment every day to protect your energy, come up with a quick and simple visualization that feels right to you. It may seem odd at first but keep at it because every small step towards protecting your positivity is a huge step towards greater well being.
