As established in earlier articles, when you are on a spiritual path, it is very important for you to be aware of what boosts your energy and what drains you.

We have explored how energy, either coming from people, or from the surrounding environment, can affect your emotional, mental and physical state, as well as your ability to sustain a state of energetic well-being. But what I want to discuss here is a specific subset of negative influence on you — that of toxic behaviors coming from certain people.

You surely have encountered people who thrive on feeding off negative energy. This can take many forms, like pushing you to choose sides, blaming you for situations that weren’t responsible for, always complaining, and loving to create chaos.

You surely have encountered people who thrive on feeding off negative energy.

You do not have to put up with these types of behaviors, and in this article, we’re going to explore strategies and ways you adopt in order for you to set boundaries without feeling guilty and avoid being sucked into the toxicity that these people try to pull you in to feed off your energy.

The Bigger Picture: What You’ll Gain from These Strategies

Protecting Your Energy

As I’ve discussed above, it is important to be aware of what energies you allow to come into your energy field, and what energies you need to keep away from you.

People with toxic behaviors, (or plainly toxic people) have mastered the art of sucking other people’s energy. If you’re not careful, it is easy for you to get lost in the chaos they create, by stirring up emotional storms, and leading you to feel drained and confused.

So, it is important for you to learn to discern when you are in a good state and when you’re not, and when you’re able to do that, to learn to energetically seal yourself before engaging with people.

People with toxic behaviors, (or plainly toxic people) have mastered the art of sucking other people’s energy.

But when you’re dealing with toxic people, you need to be more assertive in protecting your energy field.

In my case I like to connect, with my Higher Self to protect my energy field while dealing with toxic people, and I also try to remain grounded with by placing my attention at my hara, which in Japanese means abdomen, and is the area at the center of your bowels and the center of your energy field.

Reclaiming Your Power

Another thing that you might experience when you’re dealing with toxic people is the fact that you feel powerless in their presence and that they are the only ones who are calling the shots.

But you can circumvent their ability to pull you into their chaos and drama, by reclaiming your power which in this instance means setting boundaries, and especially learning to say “no” when you know you will have more to lose in the end if you do not remove yourself from the situation.

Another thing that you might experience when you’re dealing with toxic people is the fact that you feel powerless in their presence and that they are the only ones who are calling the shots.

This might not be easy especially when you’re dealing with toxic people, who are closer to you, but in the long run you realize that your own well-being comes first, and that you should not cater the toxicity that someone exhibits to make them feel better.

Strengthening Your Support System

Usually, people who are sensitive, or empaths (like me) are more vulnerable to getting caught in the web of a toxic person.

A good way to mitigate this is to learn to build healthy relationship thus acquiring a good circle of friends when they have to deal with toxic people, especially in their working space or even within their families.

Those trusted friends can be lifesavers because they can act as your cheerleader, your safe harbor and also can support you by giving you honest feedback on how they you could navigate oneself around such toxic people.

Usually, people who are sensitive, or empaths (like me) are more vulnerable to getting caught in the web of a toxic person.

But sometimes you need something more to learn how to deal with the toxicity many people display, and you might need the help of a specialist.

I have been to therapy for a lengthy period of my life, and it has helped me to learn how to distinguish toxic from healthy relationships, and how to stand up on my own feet and learn how to assert myself to protect my well-being.

5 Empowering Strategies to Handle Toxic People with Grace

One thing that I’ve learned during my spiritual journey and also by cultivating my psychological well-being is the fact that you cannot change other people, especially toxic people. But what you can change is your own attitude towards them, which can bring profound transformation in how you interact with other people that will reinforce self-empowerment and healthy connections.

What follows are 5 strategies that will help you in protecting yourself from the toxicity of people who thrive from it, but also help you feel empowered by applying them.

1. Establish Firm Physical and Emotional Boundaries

Setting boundaries can sometimes feel that we’re operating from a selfish point of view.

I believe that this belief has been instilled in us from how we were brought up, and that in order for us to be loved we became people pleasers, a behavior we carried in our adulthood giving us the false impression that we had to please everyone.

From a psychological perspective, setting boundaries means you’re stepping back from a negative situation and instead of pleasing the person who stirred up this negativity, to hold your ground and your own sense of well-being.

Setting boundaries can sometimes feel that we’re operating from a selfish point of view.

From an energetic perspective, setting boundaries can be felt as a real thing forged by practices like visualizing a sphere of light around you with the intention to not let any unwanted energy to penetrate it and reach your energy field, and also by keeping yourself grounded, by taking a few conscious breaths from your belly.

These are two simple ways to build your first defense mechanism against the intrusive energies of toxic people.

2. Avoid Playing Into Their Reality

Toxic people love to twist facts and project blame onto you for any misfortune they claim you were responsible for.

In my journey of self-discovery, I have learned the importance of not entertaining in the slightest the idea that they are right if they’re not when they make those claims. Instead, state that you do not share their point of view by saying something like, “I hear what you’re saying, but I am afraid that I disagree.”

I’ve also learned the importance of recognizing my own emotional weather through journaling.

Toxic people love to twist facts and project blame onto you for any misfortune they claim you were responsible for.

It is important for you to stay grounded in your own sense of what is going on inside you. By naming your emotions, and acknowledging them, it is difficult for someone else to push your buttons since you have learned to listen to your emotions and to not let them take over your behavior but act in a collected way thus make it difficult for toxic people to pull wool over your eyes.

3. Focus on Solutions, Not Problems

The practice of journaling with the intention of acknowledging your emotions has another benefit. It helps you to make informed decisions instead of being reactionary to a challenge that might come up.

This can also help you disengage with the drama that toxic people love to create either when both parties are involved in a situation, or you were sucked into a situation of their doing.

When I learned to be mindful of my emotions and acknowledge them, it was easier to switch how my brain works and instead of making emotionally driven decisions to make decisions that were based on a more thoughtful approach.

Energetically, by calming down the emotional intensity that issue brings up, by turning your attention towards resolving the issue, helps you to raise your vibration and be more receptive to your intuition and the guidance of your Higher Self in order for you to make informed decisions and thus not allow the behavior of a toxic person to affect your decision making.

4. Recognize Insults, Then Respond with Silence Instead of Reaction

A significant issue when dealing with toxic people is handling their insults.

Even through my spiritual development, I realize that people who inflict pain on others do it from a place of pain within them, but that is not giving them a free pass to abuse you.

One way that you can deal with insults is to use the power of silence.

By taking a pause and staying silent while confronting them face to face, thus showing that you stand firm in your own sense of power through your body language, is a way to show the other person that you will not tolerate their behavior. You can also pause and just walk away.

A significant issue when dealing with toxic people is handling their insults.

Either way, can send a clear message to the person who has insulted you, that you’re not putting up with their behavior, and neither do you internalize it, while avoiding escalating the situation by not snapping back.

5. Change Your Routine When Needed

When toxic people are part of your immediate environment, you might need to take firmer action when dealing with their abusive behavior.

For me, this took the form of surrounding myself with supportive friends, doing therapy, and putting myself first when needed.

If it is necessary, you might need to change your routine. This might include spending more time with people who uplift you, creating a space where you can decompress, or changing your schedule to make time for what is important to you without the interruption you experience when surrounded by toxic people.

When toxic people are part of your immediate environment, you might need to take firmer action when dealing with their abusive behavior.

I also like to engage in energetic practices like meditation, giving Reiki to myself after dealing with toxic people, and reciting the four statements of the Ho’ponopono prayer “I am sorry, please forgive me, I love you, thank you” a powerful practice that helps me to clear myself from the negativity and uplift my energy.

Conclusion

Dealing with toxic people can be challenging, but this doesn’t have to prevent you from doing something about it.

By setting firm boundaries, protecting your energy field, and connecting with supportive people, you can create a positive environment that you can thrive in even if you have to deal with the chaos that toxic people in your life bring.

Remember, you cannot change others especially toxic people, but you can change how you respond to the way they treat you in order for you to protect yourself, and empower your sense of self-worth and ultimately raising your vibration which might lead in the end getting rid of yourself of these toxic people.

Till next time, take care.