Chi is a Chinese word meaning life force energy or life breath. Keeping your Chi healthy and protected is a vital success strategy, not just in life but in business.
Black Clouds are those people around you that are constantly negative. These people dwell and feed on negativity and cynicism.
Dream Takers are those people that diminish, shut down or doubt your big ideas. When you share your dreams their eyes glaze over, their face becomes cast with doubt and their tone changes. They are astonished that you would even consider such an idea.
Stop allowing Black Clouds and Dream Takers to steal your Chi.
So who are these Black Clouds & Dream Takers?
They are in business. They can be a difficult business partner that isn’t so much glass half empty but rather ‘glass smashed against brick wall’. They might be the silent saboteur employee who hijacks your strategy. Or that passive aggressive customer you just can’t please. Maybe even that sarcastic supplier that bemoans your smallest request.
They are family and friends. Family and friends can often be damaging through influencing your dreams and aspirations. The ‘Doubting Thomas’ who is always vocal about the negatives when discussing your ideas claiming “Why would you do that?” and “That will never work”. The “Eternal Worrier” who offers nothing constructive but a series of agonizing ‘oohs and aahs’ accompanied by pained expressions. “I just think it’s a bit risky” they offer without any questions or comprehension of your idea. And finally the ‘Not Interested’ who never asks you anything about your business or acknowledges your victories. Their monk-like silence and complete lack of interest can impact you without them even uttering a word.
How does this impact you?
More than you think.
Whether consciously or subconsciously, constant exposure to these Black Clouds and Dream Takers can be toxic. In fact, exposure to them at critical times in your life can impact your Chi so detrimentally that they take you down with them.
How do you know if the Black Clouds and Dream Takers are affecting you?
Typical signs are these. You feel anxious before seeing them. You experience physiological changes when in their company such as shortness of breath, heartburn or anxiety. You feel severely drained of energy or mildly depressed after seeing them. You may feel frustration or anger that strikes you as out of character when compared to your normal demeanor.
At worst, you may even begin to doubt the validity of your ideas, dreams and self-worth.
What should you do about Black Clouds and Dream Takers?
The short answer is to cease, limit and control your contact with them.
Consider to cease contact immediately with any parties that are highly toxic. People that are passively aggressive, abusive or overtly negative towards you have no place in your life. This is a big call but you need to remove yourself from them.
Often family or long-term friends can play this game. And you are tired of it. When you don’t want to cut yourself off from them, I suggest you limit your contact. This can be done surreptitiously without drama. One tactic is to set a time limit for your catch up before departing. Another might be to simply stretch out the frequency of meeting up together. For particularly challenging family and friends, perhaps birthdays and Christmas.
And finally, I suggest you practice how to control your contact with them. This could include the forum in which you meet – meeting in a group, doing an activity together (movie) or choosing a neutral venue. It also includes moderating conversation and deciding to not discuss particular topics, or politely but assertively shutting down conversations when they drift in to Black Cloud or Dream Taker territory.
You dreams, aspirations and big ideas are too precious to surrender or have them torn down by Black Clouds and Dream Takers.
Don’t let them steal your Chi
Next time you feel this happening, close your eyes and repeat the following mantra three times.
I deny you access to my sovereign being. You do not influence or control me.
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Cheers, Darren K Bourke