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You might be absorbing negative energy without even realizing it; here's how
The people you interact with, the spaces you spend time in, and even what you watch online can shape how you feel.
You may not always notice it, but the energy around you may hinder your growth and well-being more than you think. The people you interact with, the spaces you spend time in, and even what you watch online can shape how you feel. At times, you might start picking up stress, tension, or negativity from around you without realising it.
According to Janika Galloway, here are eight ways you might be taking in negative energy:
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Through tone, not words
No one has to say anything negative. A sharp tone, passive aggression, or tension can instantly shift your nervous system. Your body absorbs the feeling before your mind makes sense of it.
Through eye contact and micro-expressions
A look of judgment, jealousy, or disapproval can be enough. You are naturally wired to read faces quickly and internalise what you see.
Through emotional mirroring
When someone around you feels anxious, frustrated, or low, your brain mirrors those emotions to connect with them. This is empathy, but without boundaries, it can turn into absorption.
Through physical proximity
Being close to someone carrying heavy or tense energy can affect your state of mind. Your body often syncs with what is around you, even if you do not intend to feel that way.
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Through conversations that loop negativity
Even if you are listening, repeated complaining or gossip can keep your mind in that space. The feeling can linger long after the conversation ends.
Through digital exposure
What you watch matters. Comparison, tension, and stress online can still trigger your nervous system. It does not always distinguish between what is real and what is on a screen.
Through unspoken pressure in environments
Spaces where you feel you have to perform, prove yourself, or hold back parts of who you are can quietly create stress.
Through staying past your internal ‘no’
This is often the most important one. The moment something feels off, and you ignore it, your system stops protecting you and starts adjusting instead.
You cannot avoid all of this completely. It is part of being human. But when you learn to protect your energy consciously, you stop taking on what is not yours.
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