Skip to main content

BEWARE OF ENERGY VAMPIRES


                                        
The conversation starts like this: "Man you won't believe what happened to me today. Check it out bro I'm at work and this crazy girl shows up on my job talking a whole bunch of smack telling me I'm late with my child support. Like I don't know that." Or "girlfriend you busy? [doesn't wait for an answer] I hope you know I showed up on his job today, yeah I sure did so now everybody knows he's slack and not handling his business. Can't even take care of his own children with his picture hanging in the main lobby talking about Employee of the Month."

 As Mabel "Madea" Simmons would say "you got, got." Yep you got the energy sucked out of you by someone you have a close relationship with. It happens all too often, in an attempt to be an empathic shoulder to lean on you get bum rushed by people and their never ending drama. I worked as a program director for seven years and a division director for fifteen years in a large non-profit organization. Each day without fail good well meaning individuals would show up in my office and share the most bizarre stories. In most instances the stories rarely had anything to do with the people who were paying all of our salaries. It went something like this: "you have a few minutes? [the trap is being set]. Sure I have ten minutes or so [I placed my big toe in the trap]. Have a seat [I put my entire right foot in the trap]. Oh thanks you are such a good person, you are never too busy to talk with us when we have problems [Now my entire my right foot is firmly strapped onto the trap]." At this point of the conversation it sounds like Charlie Brown's teacher: BLAH, BLAH, BLAH,BLAH. Then suddenly [the trap is triggered and I'm dangling by one foot] without warning from the shadows veiled in a black cloak....it's the ENERGY VAMPIRE! Aiming for my jugular vein to suck the ENERGY out of me...oh yeah I was in jail over the weekend. I don't know what happened. I snapped. I clicked. I went bombastic. I had a flashback. You know I suffer from a disorder I forgot how it's pronounced. But yeah you know I been able to keep it under wraps since I was twelve years old. But when he was late again with my child support I just lost it. Thanks for listening you are such a good listener. Have a blessed day!" Now I'm left suspended and dangling by one foot from the fluorescent light fixture totally zapped and it is only 9:15AM. A blessed day. After filling the air and atmosphere with toxic waste they transform into a religious and deep person by saying "have a blessed day."

It is important to establish firm boundaries when interacting with energy vampires. Rule #1 stay in control. Energy vampires are controlling people and usually demand an audience of one [you]. Rule #2 never give them ten minutes. Ten minutes is an eternity to these drama addicts. Rule #3 never invite them to sit down or into your personal space [that includes the telephone]. Rule #4 just say NO and remember NO is a complete sentence. Energy vampires are addicted to their story and it doesn't matter what you say or how you say it they are not listening to you. Their favorite words are "I know". Knowing connotes action, movement, or change and energy vampires do not have the discipline to do any of those things. They are too engulfed in their drama to get out of their own way. So beware of the energy vampires. You do not need a string of garlic, a crucifix, or stake. All you need to remember is NO is a complete sentence. That simple word is the only deterrent you will need to ward off relentless energy vampires.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

It is so easy to get lost inside of our minds and believe things about ourselves that are untrue. Sometimes we have to step back and consult with the ultimate authority regarding our importance and significance to the Creator of the Universe.  Psalm 139:1-18 O  Lord , you have examined my heart   and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up.You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it,  Lord . You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,   too great for me to understand!   I can never escape from your Spirit. I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning   if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength w
  WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? Oh, wow my last blogpost was in April 2016. It was a video that I did in the conference room of my old office space. It was a day without makeup, but a lot of thoughts. I was consumed with how great people functioned in the midst of being very afraid and was inspired to do a video. My life has changed so drastically since 2016. Little did I know April 2016 was the last month of my life being settled and mundane. My greatest worries were college tuition for my son and ensuring my company had funds monthly to remain self-sustaining. May 2016 ushered in a tsunami of challenges that still seem to overtake me. I have been walking with wobbly water legs since. Some days I just feel I cannot go on. There are no real respites. I just stop and decide to be grateful, smile, laugh, and encourage others at sporadic intervals throughout a given day. I always make a point of telling others that as I encourage you, I encourage myself. The people that receive services throug

BE AFRAID AND DO IT ANYWAY