Summary

The article discusses the importance of protecting one's energy by managing thoughts, emotions, and interactions with external influences.

Abstract

The concept of personal energy is explored in the article, emphasizing that individuals are constantly emitting and receiving energy based on their thoughts, emotions, and interactions. It suggests that by being mindful of what influences our energy, such as social media, negative self-talk, and confrontational situations, we can maintain a positive and healthy energy field. The article advocates for eliminating sources of negativity, consciously emitting positivity, avoiding unnecessary arguments, and practicing mindfulness to cultivate a protective barrier around our energy. By doing so, we can improve our mental well-being, foster better relationships, and navigate life's challenges more effectively.

Opinions

The author believes in the power of positive thinking and its impact on personal energy, suggesting that positive self-talk can lead to better self-image and life outcomes.
Negative energy, whether from oneself or external sources, is seen as harmful, potentially leading to negative thought patterns and impacting one's behavior and mental health.
The article posits that engaging in arguments or trying to change others' opinions is often futile and can drain one's energy, advocating instead for agreeing to disagree.
Mindfulness is presented as a key tool for recognizing and managing one's emotions and thoughts, with practices like meditation and journaling being beneficial for maintaining a positive energy state.
The Law of Attraction is referenced as a principle that supports the idea that positive thinking attracts positivity into one's life, although the article focuses more on practical ways to protect and nurture personal energy.
The author shares personal experiences to illustrate the detrimental effects of negative influences, such as social media comparison and toxic friendships, and the benefits of letting go of such influences.
The conclusion encourages readers to take control of their energy by actively choosing positivity, setting boundaries, and practicing self-awareness to enhance overall well-being.

The Art of Protecting Your Energy

You carry energy around you that is constantly formed by what you give and what you receive.

Think about the time you met somebody for the first time and naturally knew you like them. There was something about the vibe that you clicked so well. Or even when you met somebody and knew immediately that you don’t like them because something didn’t feel right.

We all have energy around us, some people call it the aura.

Everything is energy, even our words hold energy. Studies have constantly shown how plants can die if you talk negatively to them and can flourish if you speak positively to them. Even talking to yourself positively has a great impact on you by making you feel more confident and happy and pursuing your work with the same demeanor.

We’re always emitting energy based on what we think. Think of your favorite teacher who changed your life. Chances are her energy was so lovely because she genuinely wanted to help you out of love. That led you to look up to her and love her back which is why you’d always remember her.

However, it’s also important to protect our energies. There are things we do that could drain our energies without us knowing it.

There is an energy that surrounds us, and it thrives when it’s positive because it attracts more positivity. But if we’re depleting it or worse, if we’re emitting negative energy, we’ll also get that in return.

Yes, this is also the premises of the famous Law of Attraction and many other personal development books.

It’s simple, your thoughts impact your state (happy/sad) that further impact your behavior, which further impacts how you carry out life. But we’ll talk less about the law of attraction and more about how and why to protect your energy.

Eliminate sources of subconscious negativity

You should eliminate anything that makes you feel negative emotions.

Think of the time you were scrolling and saw an influencer with enviable abs, whereas you’re struggling hard to look your best. You need to eliminate this. No, this is not #inspiration. Feeling bad about yourself will not inspire you, but will pull down your confidence.

When I was a so-called influencer on Instagram, I checked my analytics multiple times a day. It pierced me when I saw hundreds of people unfollowing me last month, even though hundreds more would follow. I’d study other profiles thinking what do they do so well, which I don’t. It basically made me feel like I’m not good enough.

It was a negative spiral, and I only realised it when I deleted this account for good.

Similarly, whether it's what you watch on the media or celebrity gossip or memes or news, anything that makes you feel bad — let go of it. It’ll just produce sad and negative thoughts which will impact your self-image.

Consciously emit positivity

What do you think of when you look at yourself in the mirror? Whatever you do, just for once, think you’re beautiful. Because talking to yourself negatively will do you no good.

Even after I dropped 50 lbs, I indulged in negative self-talk with my unrealistic goals (thanks to social media). Once I started appreciating my health and my body, good things happened. I reached my ideal weight and felt really good about myself!

It’s important to be mindful of your words, whether they’re spoken to yourself or those around you. Studies say that,

Negative words, spoken with anger, do even more damage. They send alarm messages through the brain, interfering with the decision-making centers in the frontal lobe, and this increases a person’s propensity to act irrationally.

You can instead release some positive vibes. Appreciate it when somebody helps you replace really distasteful words (e.g. hate, terrible) with better ones (despise, dislike) because nothing is so important that you have to release such strong negative energy for it.

Close your doors

We all use multiple social platforms each day. We see people putting up stuff that doesn’t match our opinions. Sometimes, we align so deeply with what we believe in that we cannot not take a stand for it. Tell me something, why does it matter to you to change somebody else’s opinion? What will you get out of it?

A friend of mine dissed Law of Attraction on a WhatsApp group yesterday, something I believe in wholeheartedly for it was life-changing for me. But instead of exerting my brain by texting long paragraphs supporting my opinion, it's easier to let go and agree to disagree.

Anger can impact us physically, from something dire as a heart attack to something less life-threatening like blood pressure or backache. It just isn’t worth it.

Don’t leak your energy in meaningless discussions, online or offline, because they lead to no conclusion and you only end up wasting your time. You have your beliefs and others can have theirs, no matter how much you disagree with them.

Practice mindfulness to be aware of your emotions

Negative energies cannot touch you if you are in a state of meditativeness. — Sadhguru

For you to know what affects you and what doesn’t, it's important to recognize your thoughts. It’s important to know how you’re feeling. It's important for you to recognize your bodily reaction in a certain situation so you can recognize an issue and avoid its occurrence in the future.

I once had a friend who I really liked, but the onset of our friendship was about him letting out his mental health issues to me. I wanted to be there and help him because isn’t that what good friends do? But he started gaslighting me, as my friends told me. I of course didn’t believe them until it reached the ticking point where I realized that I’m constantly being told how I’m not enough and I’ve been breathing more shallow. This was leading to a reunion with my long-lost friend anxiety.

Had I not recognised my feelings and behavior and how negative my thoughts had become, I would’ve got dragged along until I exploded. I have been meditating for almost two years, which helps me recognize my thoughts as just thoughts and not a groundbreaking belief. Even practices such as journaling or taking a walk helps.

Conclusion

You carry energy around you that is constantly formed by what you give and what you receive. You have control over both of them, so why not exercise it?

You can do this by:

Eliminating sources of subconscious negativity
Consciously emitting positivity
Closing your doors to what no longer serves you
Practicing awareness to build a better inner and outer environment

This will help you protect and develop your energies for good so you can feel happier, positive, and more energetic and be flourished with good thoughts.

It will also help you deal with the tough times better as you’ll be in a better place to deal with your emotions if your energy is not constantly drained or exposed to negativity.

I invite you to cultivate this practice because you deserve to feel whole and happy.

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