A common theme we talk about around here is how to fill your life with happiness and positivity. One of the best ways to do that is to limit negativity…and a whole lot of negativity comes from others who don’t take responsibility for how they show up in your life.
I saw a video clip from an Oprah show where she addresses the concept of “energy suckers.” [Click Here to watch it and start at 2:40]
The idea is that not everyone takes responsibility for the energy they bring into the world. They bring their negativity and spew it all over others, bringing down those they come into contact with.
I’m sure this has happened to you. You’re having an amazing day and someone shows up telling you about everything wrong in the world…and all of the sudden you feel less happy. You may even feel upset and angry without realizing why. You’ve just absorbed their negative energy.
As Oprah mentions, you are responsible for your own energy AND for the energy of others around you. That means if you have negative people around you who don’t make an effort to be positive and contribute in a way that uplifts you, it is time to decide how to change that.
It then becomes time to focus on your Circle of Positive Impact.
The Circle of Positive Impact is a two-way street. It is creating a circle of Primaries (Primary People) in your life where positive influence is exchanged. In my opinion, this circle is critical to creating happiness in your life. Only people who bring the best of feelings, the most support and the greatest amount of happiness are allowed to be part of it. These are the people you want to spend your time with. You exchange positive energy.
Everyone else becomes Secondary (Secondaries) to those in the Primary circle. Before you shift someone into the secondary role, be sure to give them the opportunity to step up and bring positive energy into your life. If they can, great, keep them close. If they can’t, gracefully give them distance to be who they want to be with other people that tolerate their energy.
You may find that your Circle of Positive Impact is small at first, but as time passes, you’ll consistently come across other positive people to enlarge your circle. If you feel like you are running low on positive people, start doing something different to expand your circle. Join a book club, play a sport, take a class, or go to some community events.
The world is full of amazing people. Don’t sell yourself short from spending time with “energy suckers” or people who don’t have your best interest in their hearts like you have for them. You’ll be so incredibly happy when your Circle of Positive Impact takes your life to new heights!
