Hi! Coach Brit C here! Do you have people in your life who are exhausting to be around? Have you ever left a social encounter feeling depleted? Do you have certain 'friends' you can only handle spending time with once every six months? If you've answered yes to any of these questions; you, my dear, have got yourself an energy vampire. These types of vampires are not so different than your precious Edward Cullen. Only it's not blood an energy vampire feeds on. These beings feed on the energy of those around them.

Here are a few different types of vampires to get familiar with:

1. The Sob Sister.
The sob sister (or brother) is someone who constantly wallows in self pity and talks repeatedly of their shortcomings. The Sob Sister/Brother has no interest in finding a solution to their problems, but always has some kind of horrible or inconvenient situation to chat you up about.

2.The Blamer.
The Blamer does just that. Blame. If a situation doesn't work out as planned, or something doesn't go their way you can bet your sweet ass they'll be blaming someone else. They will try their hardest to make you feel really guilty about it too. They're real good at that.

3. The Drama Queen.
The Drama Queen (or King) makes a big deal about everything. No matter the situation it is "OMG. SUCH a huge ordeal". Always has relationship drama and constantly blows things out of proportion.

Energy vampires often possess the following traits:

*Constant Talker/Joke Teller- Loves being the center of attention and the sound of their own voice.

*Clingy and needy - Always wants you to fix their problems or give them advice.

*Stone Cold Meany- Puts others down to make themselves feel better. Someone who has extremely low self esteem and gains energy by gossiping or making fun of other people and making them feel just as bad as he/she does. These meanies are motivated by negativity and get a rush from intentionally hurting others.

Ok. Now that we know how to spot and identify an energy vampire its time to learn how to deal with the ones in our life.

It's a well know saying that 'misery loves company', so if you have the option of avoiding this person or persons then by all means; stay away.

If this is not an option here are some tips I have adapted from this site right here.

1. Ground yourself.
Make the conscious decision to not be affected. You are a huge pine tree with roots deep into the ground and cannot by moved. You are sturdy and strong and can only being budged by intense beauty or kind words. No negativity can break me.

2. Shield Yourself.
Envision a protective force surrounding you that cannot be penetrated by negative energy. You are surrounded by love. Keep your shield strong and do not let this guard down. It will break if you aren't on your toes.

3.Bring backup.
If you must be in a situation with an energy vampire bring along some friends to help soak up the blows. Observe the group and take notes on how the others are handling the vampire. Then tell your friends you're sorry for doing that to them.

4.Be a good listener.
Chances are if you're dealing with an energy vampire they got this way because of many negative experiences they've had along their path. Try listening without inputting to see if the root issues ever arise. It might not be fun, but it'll be a valiant effort of help if anything.

5.Lend a helping hand.
Is their negativity a cry for help? Can you do anything for this person?

6.Keep it light and friendly.
When speaking with an energy vampire stay away from heavy topics. Don't talk about the Illuminati. Keep it light to avoid triggering a freaking avalanche.

7.Limit contact or cut ties completely.
Like I said earlier; if you can help it, stay the hell away. This may sound harsh, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

And since I'm into this kind of thing....There are many gemstones out there that can help protect us from negative energy and the psychic attacks of energy vampires. Including.....

Amethyst

Garnet

and

Quartz

to name a few.

Try carrying some rocks around with you, or wearing some handmade jewelry.

I hope this post wasn't too draining. Maybe some of you even had a little revelation about certain people in your lives. If you read this and then realized that you, yourself are the energy vampire don't be too hard on yourself. Take a look at the traits you possess or the actions that describe your vampirism and see what might be done to change. If you have a past full of negative experiences that you carry around with you, maybe its time to shed that old heavy coat and start today new.

Thank you for reading this far. Do you know any energy vampires? How do you cope?

I realize this has been a long post. Hope you have a great week. And don't forget to spread the Gem Steady vibe.

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