I don’t know about you, but I was never very good at math.  It wasn’t intuitive to me, and the more complicated it became, the more frustrated I felt. So, I knew early on that I would need extra support with all those non-negotiable classes that involved math.
 
But recently I realized there is at least one mathematic concept that requires my full attention as I pursue my optimistic endeavors – ratios.  
 
Specifically, I’m focused on my personal energy ratio, or what I refer to as my PER.

Fortunately for me this ratio is easy to calculate because it only involves two numbers. It’s this simple:
 
Energy Enablers / Energy Vampires = Personal Energy Ratio (PER)
 
What exactly are energy enablers and energy vampires you might ask?  Trust me, you know them. You just might not know these terms. 
 
Energy enablers are those people in your life that nourish you and bring you joy.  They give you a boost. And in those rare instances when they have critical words, it comes from a place of care and possibility.
 
Being an enabler is about substance, not status. Energy enablers can be family and friends, or perhaps colleagues or acquaintances. Their energy empowers you. It fuels your soul and spirit.
 
Energy vampires are the exact opposite. They crush your life force. They foster negativity, usually as a result of some of their own internal struggles. Some energy vampires are drawn to positive people because they need to feel better about themselves, and other vampires want to bring everyone down to their own discouraged level.  Regardless of their motivation, energy vampires usually take without giving, leaving you feeling a bit more spent, and sadder than you were when they found you.
 
Now that you know the lingo, you can calculate your personal energy ratio. Fortunately (even for the most math-challenged, like me), it’s simple.

First, take out a piece of paper and make two columns. Call one vampires. Call the other enablers.
 
Next, think about the ten people you most often interact with on a day-to-day basis. Then make two lists, starting with the enablers, then followed by the vampires.  Total each list, put the numbers together and there you have it – you've got your personal energy ratio! 
 
Who knew math was so easy?
 
Maintaining a healthy personal energy ratio? Not always so easy. The truth is, there are a lot of energy vampires out there. And just like the typical blood-sucking vampires, one bite can transform you into a vampire as well.
 
So what’s the right ratio? My personal goal is to engage with at least four enablers to every one vampire. Especially now, when I am trying lots of new ideas and learning lots of new skills, I crave the encouragement that energy enablers provide, so I seek them out every day. And even more than that, I make sure that my energy enablers know how much I appreciate them so that I can be an energy enable for them too.
 
The good thing is that you don’t need a bunch of garlic and crosses to keep energy vampires away. You just need to focus on maintaining the right ratio. It’s not as easy as one-two-three, but I guarantee the more you focus on the ratio, the more energetic you will be.
 
So here is my advice: stay away from the dark corners and look for the light.  

The vampires won’t find you there. I promise.