Letting Go of Bad Energy

One of the greatest realizations I've had in life is the power of letting go of bad energy as it arises.

We've all been there; someone does something annoying, or an event triggers frustration, and the immediate reaction is to respond. You might feel the urge to retaliate, to prove a point, or to exert energy into something negative.

But what often happens when we engage with negativity? We end up feeling even more stressed and drained. If you feel the need to hurt someone or respond to negativity out of anger or hurt, it’s often a sign that unresolved energy is stored within you.

In moments like these, when you first sense the urge to react, pause. Look inward. Question it. Ask yourself: Where is this feeling coming from? Why am I about to react this way?

This moment of introspection is crucial in learning how to master avoiding negative energy. Every time you pause, reflect, and observe your emotions before acting impulsively, you reclaim your power. You take control of the situation and begin to see things clearly.

When you see things clearly, you gain control. True control does not come from engaging with negativity unconsciously; lashing out only fuels the energy further. Reacting without thought only adds more motion and intensity to the negativity.

Instead, when you pause, you refuse to feed the negativity. You allow yourself to see the energy for what it really is. More often than not, you’ll realize that your reaction isn’t about the present situation: it’s a pattern from the past, a buildup of old energy that has been reinforced over time.

Sometimes, after observing your emotions and taking that necessary pause, you may still decide that engaging is the right course of action. This is usually when the negative energy is fresh and unconnected to deeper patterns. However, with practice, you’ll recognize that most unconscious reactions stem from unhealthy habits. The best way to break these patterns is simply to stop engaging.

Tell yourself: Let it go. I won’t respond to this the same way this time. It will happen again, but with conscious practice, I will learn to let it pass. Over time, years of engaging with negative energy can be undone, and that energy will dissipate.

Negative energy often lingers in people due to past experiences; traumas, bad relationships, childhood wounds, or conflicts. These experiences create stored energy, but we have a choice: to let it stay or to release it. Since we can’t always avoid bad experiences, the best way to free ourselves is to ensure the energy doesn’t take root.

However, this is easier said than done, especially when people struggle to understand why certain things happen to them. Questions like Why me? Why did they treat me this way? can keep people stuck in cycles of negativity, unconsciously feeding the very energy they wish to escape.

This isn’t to say that questioning things is always futile. But sometimes, dwelling on why something bad happened only deepens the wound. No matter how kind or respectful you are, some people will not treat you the same way, and trying to make sense of their actions can become a rabbit hole that amplifies negativity.

Another reason people remain stuck in negative energy is because of deeply ingrained values and belief systems. Some are taught to tolerate mistreatment out of respect, leading to internalized frustration and resentment. Instead of confronting the energy head-on, they engage with it in unhealthy ways; through anger, envy, or wishing harm upon others.

But what if, instead, they simply let it go? What if they decided not to let someone else’s actions dictate their emotions? The best response to negativity is often non-engagement; choosing to live a life filled with positive energy rather than feeding into negativity through vengeance, pointless questioning, or thinking retaliation.

Of course, in an ideal world, we would always have the discipline to pause before reacting. But we’re human. Sometimes, we will fail. Sometimes, engaging may even feel like the right choice.

What’s important is to keep trying. If you fail once, don’t engage the next 99 times. Consciously form the habit of refusing to feed negativity, and over time, you’ll break the cycle. The strongholds of negative energy will weaken, and eventually, they will disappear.

Think of life as a movie on a big screen. If you keep replaying one painful scene over and over, you miss the rest of the film. Unlike a movie, life doesn’t wait. It moves forward, whether you do or not. Staying hung up on negativity (trying to control people or circumstances beyond your power) only makes you miss out on life’s beauty.

So, let things flow. If something bad happens, let it go. Keep moving. Keep growing. Don’t stay stuck.

The best is yet to come.

Enjoy it!

- Ike