April is National Stress Awareness Month and I want to talk about a very important topic that you may not have ever considered before...SECOND HAND STRESS.
Even if we attend to ourselves with the utmost self-care, we are still exposed to an overwhelming amount of "second hand stress" from everyone and everything around us. Its a crazy world and we are being constantly bombarded and reminded by the media, TV and internet 24/7. So how do we protect ourselves and how can we stay positive when negativity surrounds us?
It's a difficult concept for many westerners to grasp...but everything in the world is made up of energy, even our emotions. And because most of us aren't aware of this, many people become psychic sponges for the negative emotional energy of others.
Example: You have lunch with a friend who's going through a tough time getting divorced and is very depressed. Although you feel great when you arrive, by the time the check comes you're in a funk that lasts the rest of the day. What happened...you absorbed some of your friends energy.
Some people find it difficult or impossible to defend themselves against emotional energy. Many of us are very sensitive and indiscriminately absorb whatever's around us from other people. Psychic self defense was something I had to learn about, study and practice early on in my career or risk Burn Out.
Take it from me...I'm a recovering Bounty Quicker Picker Upper!
Here are some of my top strategies for psychic self defense when encountering negativity and dealing with second hand stress:
*Pay attention to your intuition! Ignoring it is an easy way to get into trouble. Listen. Listen. Listen. No matter what...Trust our gut and let it always be your compass!
*Identify your area of vulnerability. Most people are susceptible to at least one kind of negative emotional energy- anger, sadness or fear are most common. Self awareness is key to identifying which one is your biggest trigger. Ask yourself which of those emotions brings back a strong reaction that you remember from childhood.
*Release negative energy that you've picked up from others. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Clear your mind and relax your body. Look inside yourself to see if you can find where that persons negativity has affected you. You don't have to carry it around with you. Take a breath and with your intention gently release that negativity.
*Take a healing break. After an upsetting encounter or when you're just feeling emotionally overwhelmed, spend a few minutes in the sun. The sun is a great healer. Taking a shower or bath at the end of the day is a great way to feel emotionally cleansed. Water is a powerful cleanser and gives off healthy negative ions. Exercise is another wonderful way to help heal yourself and shift your energy.
*Be aware of what you eat. Food is a great balancer of energy. People who overeat are often tremendous psychic sponges who are trying to protect themselves by making themselves numb. This is something that I know from personal experience...Food can help ground us but can also close down psychic channels. Eat with mindful awareness.
I hope these tools will help you. Pick one to begin practicing. Its not always easy but like anything else in life.... Change will happen with awareness, the right tools and practice.
Remember this...all the water in the ocean can't sink a ship unless the water gets inside. Similarly, all the negativity in the world can't bring you down unless you let it get inside.
Wishing you a glorious, delightful and uplifting springtime!
BE AWARE & STAY STRONG!
Even if we attend to ourselves with the utmost self-care, we are still exposed to an overwhelming amount of "second hand stress" from everyone and everything around us. Its a crazy world and we are being constantly bombarded and reminded by the media, TV and internet 24/7. So how do we protect ourselves and how can we stay positive when negativity surrounds us?
It's a difficult concept for many westerners to grasp...but everything in the world is made up of energy, even our emotions. And because most of us aren't aware of this, many people become psychic sponges for the negative emotional energy of others.
Example: You have lunch with a friend who's going through a tough time getting divorced and is very depressed. Although you feel great when you arrive, by the time the check comes you're in a funk that lasts the rest of the day. What happened...you absorbed some of your friends energy.
Some people find it difficult or impossible to defend themselves against emotional energy. Many of us are very sensitive and indiscriminately absorb whatever's around us from other people. Psychic self defense was something I had to learn about, study and practice early on in my career or risk Burn Out.
Take it from me...I'm a recovering Bounty Quicker Picker Upper!
Here are some of my top strategies for psychic self defense when encountering negativity and dealing with second hand stress:
*Pay attention to your intuition! Ignoring it is an easy way to get into trouble. Listen. Listen. Listen. No matter what...Trust our gut and let it always be your compass!
*Identify your area of vulnerability. Most people are susceptible to at least one kind of negative emotional energy- anger, sadness or fear are most common. Self awareness is key to identifying which one is your biggest trigger. Ask yourself which of those emotions brings back a strong reaction that you remember from childhood.
*Release negative energy that you've picked up from others. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Clear your mind and relax your body. Look inside yourself to see if you can find where that persons negativity has affected you. You don't have to carry it around with you. Take a breath and with your intention gently release that negativity.
*Take a healing break. After an upsetting encounter or when you're just feeling emotionally overwhelmed, spend a few minutes in the sun. The sun is a great healer. Taking a shower or bath at the end of the day is a great way to feel emotionally cleansed. Water is a powerful cleanser and gives off healthy negative ions. Exercise is another wonderful way to help heal yourself and shift your energy.
*Be aware of what you eat. Food is a great balancer of energy. People who overeat are often tremendous psychic sponges who are trying to protect themselves by making themselves numb. This is something that I know from personal experience...Food can help ground us but can also close down psychic channels. Eat with mindful awareness.
I hope these tools will help you. Pick one to begin practicing. Its not always easy but like anything else in life.... Change will happen with awareness, the right tools and practice.
Remember this...all the water in the ocean can't sink a ship unless the water gets inside. Similarly, all the negativity in the world can't bring you down unless you let it get inside.
Wishing you a glorious, delightful and uplifting springtime!
BE AWARE & STAY STRONG!