Five Situations That Drain You Of Emotional Energy

We have all been in situations that have drained us of emotional energy. They are usually situations that, in one way or another, involve you. But after going through them  , you think you got little in return for all the work you put into them.

Emotional energy is a relatively new concept that describes our endurance. Our endurance tells us how long we will endure before a situation wears us out. If we feel that individual situations leave us tired, it is because they drain  our endurance in ways that are totally superfluous, but that require effort on our part.

There are many situations that drain us of emotional energy. They should be avoided as they demand so much from us and give very little in return. They are situations that only distract us from what is really important, and from things that give us a richer life. Let us therefore learn how to identify and avoid such situations. Here are five of them:

1. Discussions about things that do not matter

A debate or discussion is a fantastic opportunity to say what one thinks about something and to learn from the opinions of others. Few things enrich our lives as much as a constructive dialogue with people who think differently than us. It gives us a broader perspective and makes our thought processes better. It also strengthens our ability to communicate.

But the situation becomes completely different when two people start a meaningless discussion where the only goal is to beat the opponent and convince him that one’s own opinions are the right ones. This often just ends in a bad aftertaste. You waste a lot of energy, you show off your worst side, and everything boils down to one’s own vanity.

Complaining also drains you of emotional energy

Both complaining and constantly listening to others’ complaints drains you of emotional energy. Complaining is something everyone does from time to time, and it is perfectly normal. But sometimes complaining becomes a habit and a way of life. We keep complaining about the same thing without doing anything to actually fix it.

Complaining is a type of communication that develops an attitude that life is not good enough. We are not happy with what we have in our lives and where we are going, but instead of focusing on what we can do to change it, we only think about the negative aspects of it. It is not worth spending time on this, and it only leads to us avoiding our responsibilities.

Gossip

One of the situations that drains us most of emotional energy is when we stick our noses into other people’s issues, instead of concentrating on our own lives. Such gossip is nothing more than a sign of a lack of identity. People who gossip about others are looking for themselves in other people. They simply can not find themselves.

The worst thing about people who constantly gossip is that they are also extremely critical of other people. They observe others and get involved in their lives, but only think about how to pull them down into the mess. There is no worse way to waste time than gossip. It not only drains you of energy, but it also makes you a worse person.

4. Walking around in constant worry

Worrying about things over and over again always leads to confusion and passivity. It goes without saying that you should consider what you say, think about the pros and cons and make well-considered decisions, but when you never reach a decision, you have a problem.

One of the situations that really drains us of energy is constant doubt. This is when we think and think without getting anywhere. We try to find the right answer or make a decision based only on reflection, one we forget that many  answers come only when we combine thoughts and events.

5. Need for acceptance

We walk around in a constant need to be accepted and liked by others. We spend so much time worrying about what others think of us that it ruins our lives. Instead of spending time figuring out who we are and why some like us or not, we spend more time doing things that others want us to do.

By doing this we are wasting our time. Either people accept you for who you are, or they do not. And sometimes the cause is far beyond your control. If you are blonde you are blonde. If you are Swiss, you are Swiss. And the irony is also that the factor that most often leads to others not wanting anything to do with you is excessive pursuit of others’ acceptance. Therefore, it is not worth wasting time on this.

These situations that drain our emotional energy should be removed from our lives. We normally end up in such situations when we are confused or feel insecure. Our lives are valuable, and so is our time. Do not waste time on things that do not enrich your life.