Don't Let Emotional Vampires Drain You Dry!

??This Halloween, I’m not talking about capes and fangs, but the emotional vampires we encounter in our daily lives—the ones who drain our energy through their words and behaviors, manipulating our insecurities, twisting facts, gaslighting, taking credit for the work of others, blaming others, using you to vent all their negative emotions, or even getting others to gang up on people through negative storytelling (building negative coalition). ??

These interactions aren’t just uncomfortable—they can have a real impact on our well-being. They can trap us in a high-stress cycle that feels like an escape room we can’t break free from. Stress builds up, burnout looms, and self-doubt takes root.

So how do we protect ourselves?

?? Building Resiliency is key.

*Ground yourself in your values and strengths.

*Set clear boundaries and hold firm to them.

*Seek out objective feedback to cut through the gaslighting.

*Lean on a support network that genuinely lifts you up, not tears you down.

*Most importantly, don't internalize the manipulations of others—stay anchored in your truth.

The good news? You can fight back against emotional vampires and emerge stronger, more confident, and more resilient than ever. We can build up our immunity against these toxic behaviors and regain our power! ???

Leadership Tip: Good leaders have to see multiple perspectives; they protect the vulnerable and also work to understand why these types of behaviors happen. Often these behaviors can be activated by an individual’s perception of scarce resources which might activate traits/threat responses in people with high needs for status (relative importance to others) or people who need to feel autonomous (sense of control). When these traits get triggered, undesirable behaviors can become problematic for everyone. Taking the time to recognize the issues with them (validate that you understand them), while also setting boundaries and expectations is a good starting point.

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#Resilience #EmotionalIntelligence #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #OvercomingObstacles #ThreatResponse #CounterproductiveBehaviors