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A woman I know once said jokingly that she doesn’t show up to every argument she’s invited to and then quickly changed the subject. I have since felt a bit if weight on my chest with regards to that statement and it had me thinking about what we allow happen against us most of the times.
And I'm thinking about it not because it’s anything so profound that nobody knows or it'll change the world but just because it’s simply true.
There are people maybe you can relate to this, who will call you up at a ridiculous hour, talk for 40 minutes on some random topic that has nothing to do with you and you’ll sit back, say things to show them you’re paying attention when you really want to just leave. After hanging up the phone, you’ll feel like you’ve missed out on something important.
The part people rarely talk about is that feeling you get after those calls is not anger, it’s the sense that you just gave your attention to one thing or person and now it’s gone. So instead of being neutral, you’ve actually used some of that attention and it can’t go back to where it started.
I’m beginning to be more purposeful in how I spend my time and energy. I’m not trying to create any kind of drama, we’ve got enough of that today with toxic relationships you mistakenly enter because you're still naive and what politicians are doing which looks like they're intentionally trying to wreck your country.
I’m definitely going to take my time before agreeing to participate in an activity or conversation with someone who already has their mind made up.
Some environments, people and relationships will never ask much of you, but they slowly chip away at who you over time until you leave those places or people feeling less than what you were before. The woman I shared my story with is very kind, she simply decided long ago what she wanted and needed in her life. If she rejects it's not because she's rude, she has set her own boundaries and will protect it like a nation does to their physical boundaries.
If you're looking for ways to protect your energy, this guided list of things for you to know is very helpful, it helped me and I have saved it on my phone to keep going back to it whenever I need to make certain decisions that has the potency to drain my energy.
