I lost my temper last Thursday. Not one of those dramatic movie meltdowns, but that silent seething anger that happens when you’ve absorbed too much negativity from somewhere else. In my case, it was after spending an hour scrolling through outrage-filled social media posts and watching a particularly depressing news segment.
It took me three days to reset my mental state.
Three whole days because I forgot one of the most fundamental principles we’ve been talking about – the necessity to protect energy at all costs.
Most of us understand we need boundaries with toxic people, but we completely overlook how many other ways our energy gets drained and contaminated throughout the day. Our minds are constantly under attack, and we don’t even realize it.
Your Energy Bank Account Is Probably Overdrawn
Think of your mental energy as a bank account. Every interaction either makes a deposit or withdrawal. Problem is, we’re making way more withdrawals than deposits.
When you check email first thing in the morning? Withdrawal. That conversation with the perpetually negative coworker? Massive withdrawal. Endless social media scrolling? Death by a thousand tiny withdrawals.
By evening, we’re energetically bankrupt but can’t figure out why. I find myself snapping at Sharon over something trivial, and then wonder why I’m so irritable.
The high-achievers we’ve studied all share one common trait – they’re incredibly protective of their mental energy. They understand that their thoughts create their reality, so they’re selective about what influences those thoughts. Not paranoid, just intentional.
The Invisible Threats Nobody Talks About
We all know to avoid the friend who complains constantly. That’s obvious. But what about these sneaky energy vampires?
1. News and media designed specifically to trigger emotional reactions 2. Social media algorithms feeding you increasingly extreme content 3. Background noise and constant notifications fragmenting attention 4. Physical environments with chaotic energy 5. Even certain foods that fog your mental clarity
These influences are subtle but devastating to your manifestation power. When we talk about the Law of Attraction, we emphasize maintaining high vibrational states. Hard to do when you’re marinating in low-frequency stimulation all day.
I realized this last month when I took a 3-day break from all news and social media. The mental clarity was stunning. Ideas flowed more easily. My conversations improved. I felt lighter. My manifestation practice suddenly seemed more effective.
And the world didn’t end because I wasn’t monitoring it constantly.
Protect Energy Without Becoming a Hermit
Look, we can’t all move to a mountain top and meditate 24/7. We have jobs, families, responsibilities. The real skill is protecting your energy while still participating in the world.
Here are some methods that actually work:
**Morning mental fasting.** The first 30-60 minutes after waking determine your mental state for hours. No phone, no email, no news. Just your morning routine and setting intentions. This one change can transform your entire day.
**Visualization shields.** This sounds woo-woo, but many successful people swear by it. Before entering challenging environments, take 30 seconds to visualize a protective bubble of light surrounding you. Energy that doesn’t serve you bounces off. Napoleon Hill would have called this “directing your mental forces.”
**Scheduled media consumption.** News and social media aren’t inherently evil – it’s the mindless consumption that drains you. Set specific times (maybe 15 minutes at lunch, 30 minutes after work) rather than constant checking.
**Energy audits.** At the end of each day, list interactions that energized you versus those that drained you. After a week, patterns emerge. Then you can strategically eliminate or modify the draining ones.
**Physical workspace clearing.** Your environment affects you more than you realize. Clear clutter, add plants, improve lighting. Sometimes I’ll even use sound (a small bell or even a phone app) to “clear” a room’s energy before important work.
Some people think this stuff is silly until they try it. Then they wonder how they lived without these practices.
The Two-Minute Technique to Instantly Reset Your Energy
Sometimes despite our best efforts, we get energetically slimed. Maybe it’s after a difficult meeting or conversation with a particularly negative person. When that happens, you need a reset button.
Try this:
1. Find a quiet spot (even a bathroom stall works in desperate times) 2. Close your eyes and take 5 deep breaths 3. Place your hand on your heart 4. Visualize releasing the negative energy down through your feet into the ground 5. Replace it by imagining drawing in clean, bright energy from above
I did this after a particularly brutal meeting last Wednesday. Walked into the bathroom feeling like garbage, came out refreshed. The whole process takes about two minutes.
Longer term, we need consistent practices to protect our energy. Meditation, exercise, time in nature – these aren’t luxuries, they’re necessities for maintaining your energetic hygiene.
When To Cut People Off (And When Not To)
The trickiest energy protection involves people – especially those close to us. Sometimes we need to limit or end relationships that consistently drain us. Other times, we need better boundaries within important relationships.
Notice I said “consistently drain us.” Everyone has bad days. The question is: over time, does this relationship leave you feeling better or worse?
For essential relationships that sometimes drain you (family, certain colleagues), try:
• Time-boxing: Limit interaction to specific durations • Topic boundaries: Certain subjects are off-limits • Energetic preparation: Mentally prepare before interactions • Recovery periods: Schedule alone time after difficult engagements
For truly toxic relationships with no redeeming value, sometimes distance is the only answer. Not every connection deserves your energy.
I struggled with this regarding an old friend who had become incredibly negative. I finally limited our interaction to once a month rather than weekly. My energy improved dramatically.
Small Daily Habits That Create Energy Force Fields
Protecting your energy isn’t a one-time event. It’s built through consistent daily practices:
• Gratitude journaling shifts your focus to positive energy • Physical movement releases stagnant energy (even a 5-minute walk helps) • Decluttering your physical space prevents energy stagnation • Setting intentions before meetings and calls • Brief meditations throughout the day • Sound cleansing (music, chanting, singing bowls)
I have a client who plays one specific song before important meetings to reset his energy. Another keeps a small stone in her pocket and touches it when she needs to center herself. The specific technique doesn’t matter as much as having something that works for you.
Your Energy Protection Plan
All these ideas won’t help unless you actually implement them. Start small:
1. Pick ONE morning practice to protect your energy 2. Identify the TOP energy drain in your life and create a boundary 3. Practice the two-minute reset technique when needed 4. Schedule one larger energy protection block (30+ minutes) weekly
Remember that protecting your energy isn’t selfish – it’s necessary. You cannot manifest effectively, serve others meaningfully, or achieve your potential when you’re energetically depleted.
This isn’t just about feeling better (though that’s nice). It’s about maintaining the high-frequency thoughts that actually create your reality. You can’t think and grow if your mental space is cluttered with energy-draining influences.
Your thoughts?