Recognizing Energy Vampires

Some people leave you feeling energized after spending time together. Others leave you feeling like you need a nap and a shower.

It took me years to realize this wasn't about my weakness or inadequacy - it was about learning to recognize the difference between relationships that give life and those that drain it away.

Protecting your energy isn't selfish. It's essential.

What Energy Vampires Actually Do

Energy-draining people take more than they give, create drama regularly, dominate conversations without showing interest in your life, and leave you feeling depleted rather than energized after interactions.

The Difference Between Support and Enabling

Healthy support listens with empathy while maintaining boundaries, offers practical help with specific timeframes, and encourages personal responsibility.

Unhealthy enabling takes on others' emotions as your responsibility, rescues people from natural consequences, and provides endless assistance without seeing positive change.

Protecting Your Energy Without Guilt

• Limit interaction time to prevent complete depletion
• Change the subject to redirect negative conversations
• Set communication boundaries for specific types of discussions
• Avoid being the only support - encourage multiple sources of help
• Practice emotional detachment - care without taking responsibility for their emotions

This Week's Energy Audit

Notice how you feel before and after interactions with different people in your life. Identify relationships that consistently energize you and those that consistently drain you.

Protecting your energy isn't selfish, friends. You can't pour from an empty cup. Hope lives and grows here, in relationships that nurture rather than deplete.