Are You a Sponge, Too?

I left the class feeling drained and stressed.😣

But…intellectually, my brain was feeling pretty satisfied.

Weird. 🤔

What was happening here?

I thought back.

🌱The teacher/CEO was engaging – she was enthusiastic and really knew her stuff. 

Ok…good!✅

🌱The topic – how to scale your business – was important to me. 

Good again.✅

🌱I was picking up some good insights and tips about creating programs.

Just want I wanted.✅

What else?

The class was on Zoom. 

And there were a lot of people on there. 

A LOT of people were using the chat.

And from what I could tell, a large percentage of the people were also learning and having big A-HA moments. 

Ok…….Great!✅

So, what was up?

Why was I feeling overwhelmed?🤔

And then I remembered.

I’m a sponge.

I soak up the energy in the room…or on Zoom.

A-ha!

There were a lot of participants in the class and in the chat who wanted to build a biz so they could leave their corporate jobs.

They were unhappy in their jobs and really wanted out.

(I’ve been there! I TOTALLY get it.)

And I could tell from the chat that some were feeling overwhelmed.

They were realizing all they would need to do to create a brand new sustainable business so they could escape the corporate world.

And they weren’t feeling equipped to do it. YET.

And that’s totally ok.

The class was giving them clarity. Awesome!

And it was bringing up big feelings, which is, again, totally ok.

There were also some shenanigans going on in the chat. 

One guy was marketing his own services.

This was distracting and annoying.

Another guy was being really critical of the experience.😠

(LOVED it when the teacher called him out.)

So, yeah. There was a lot going on in that chat – emotionally and energetically.

And I had been marinating in it for over an hour.

I needed to sort out what my actual feelings were…and which feelings I had taken on.

This is what I did:

I took a breath and said to myself, “I release any feelings that are not mine.”

I started feeling lighter.

And eventually, I was able to discern what was going on with me.

Whew! Relief.

There are some cool things about being a sponge. 

You pick up on dynamics in the room – on the things that are happening beneath the surface, unsaid.

if you’re not aware of what is happening, you can drown in other people’s emotions and energy. 

That’s what was happening to me as I absorbed the chat. I was taking on other people’s stuff.

This is no one’s fault.

I just need to remember – and take a few simple steps.

⬇️In case you’re a sponge like me, here’s what I do (when I remember!):⬇️

1. Before I go into group settings (or social media)  I picture a protective bubble around me. 

This bubble is not a wall. I’m still open, friendly, and I do really want to connect. I have a cute bubble around me, giving me an energy boundary.

2. When I leave group settings (and social media), I get quiet and say “I release any feelings that are not mine.”

Are you a sponge, too? 

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