Becoming mindful of and responsible for your energy and the energies around you will help you navigate every social situation life can throw at you. โจ Before we jump in…
Becoming mindful of and responsible for your energy and the energies around you will help you navigate every social situation life can throw at you. โจ Before we jump in let’s evaluate some positive and negative energies so that we are all on the same page.
Positive Energy
There are many different types of positive energies (feelings, vibes, wishes etc.) but to put a label on a few:
- Encouragement/Support
- Affirmation/Praise
- Happiness/Joy
- Optimism/Confidence
Negative Energy
To all of these positive energies, there are opposite negative energies:
- Discouragement/Judgment
- Deny/Defeat
- Sadness/Gloom
- Pessimistic/Anxious
Energy Obligation
Everywhere we go we carry our energy with us, whether it be positive or negative. Learning to be mindful of this energy is important for success in building personal and professional relationships.
Take for example I am attending a bachelorette party in Las Vegas ๐ฏ. The invitation says to expect “booze, boys and blackjack” – honestly not my cup of tea. Upon receipt of the invitation, I have the option to accept or decline. This is the key in social circumstances. Instead of insisting that you have to attend because you were invited – really evaluate if you will add or detract from the event?
If you decide that you can add to the event/experience it is now time to evaluate your energy toward the list of events. Understood that “booze, boys and blackjack” might not be your favorite – but this trip is about the bride, and it IS her favorite. To enhance her experience and to truly make it the best memory for all involved you will need to get on board and be enthusiastic! By accepting the invitation you are in turn accepting the energy obligation – to stay positive during the experience.
Fake It Till You Become It!
Let’s take this example to a professional setting – let’s say my team at the office has to put together a presentation on onions. Two things I’m not a fan of 1) working on a team and 2) onions. ๐คข Now if you know me personally you know that anytime I see or speak of an onion I call it “poison” (because I’m obviously 13 ๐) so this project is quite the stretch. Now in this circumstance, I don’t have an option to accept or deny the project – it’s my job. So here we go into energy obligation. My employer has hired me to collaborate and present an entertaining and informative powerpoint on onions. I cannot walk into that conference room angry about working on a team or disappointed in our given subject. All I can do is encourage the people around me, be enthusiastic about our presentation and spread positive energy throughout the room. Doing all of this is a recipe for success!
Energy Acceptance
Energy obligation speaks to the energy we bring into a room or situation while energy acceptance speaks to the energy we ALLOW in our life and/or space. Granted there will always be those passers-by that come in and out of your life; these you cannot control. It’s the constants in your life; your friends, coworkers, acquaintances and even family members. We all can name at least one person in our life that always seems to be on the negative side of the above list (discouraging, defeated and gloomy). Life never seems to go their way and they’re determined it will never get better.
It is hard to say “avoid these people” – often time these people are important to us. What’s important to learn in this circumstance is:
- When you are in a vulnerable state (lacking confidence or joy) – choose different friends to call, those that will encourage you in your time of need.
- When interacting with the negative energies in your life don’t feed their anxiety. Hear them out, always be polite and then move on to a different (more positive) conversation. Misery loves company – work to not join in their negativity.
- Don’t let them deplete you. Often times being around negative people can consume your energy, your optimism and your mood. Work to keep the topics moving as to avoid those hot button conversations.
Bottom line in today’s message is, find your inner sunshine and if you can’t find your own stay close to people who feel like sunshine. It’s a beautiful world out there, one that is enhanced by positive energy.
Disclaimer: Even the most positive people get anxious or down, feeling these emotions makes you human. Feeling these energies and moving through them is where you want to be. You have the ability to feel, process, alter, learn and spread your energy. Remembering that and always being mindful will keep you in check with your surroundings.
How do you alter your energy on a blue day? Leave any tips or tricks in the comments below!
Thanks for reading!
xoxo,
C
Looking to learn how to reframe negative thoughts and energies? Read More Here