How to Stop Absorbing Other People’s Emotions
Dylan Moore, Founder Balanced Analysis LLC and Breaking Barriers University
Ever walk into a room and instantly feel heavy, anxious, or drained—without anyone saying a word? Ever find yourself taking on someone else’s stress, sadness, or anger like it’s your own?
You’re not imagining things. And no, you’re not “too sensitive.” You’re empathic. You’re deeply attuned. But here’s the thing: that beautiful sensitivity doesn’t mean you have to carry emotions that aren’t yours.
So let’s be clear: you’re not here to be an emotional sponge for the world. You’re here to feel, yes—but also to protect your peace. You don’t have to apologize for having boundaries with energy.
This post is for the woman who’s been absorbing everything around her and calling it compassion. You can care deeply without sacrificing your own emotional wellbeing. You can hold space without losing yourself in someone else’s storm.
Let’s talk about how.
When I Thought Empathy Meant Self-Abandonment
Hi, Dylan here.
I used to think being a good partner, friend, or son meant always being “available.” If someone I cared about was upset, I’d drop everything. I’d feel their emotions like they were my own—panic if they were anxious, grow cold if they shut down, spiral if they were angry.
I didn’t know how to separate my energy from theirs.
Eventually, I found myself constantly depleted. My mood was a reflection of whoever I was around that day. I wasn’t being supportive—I was being absorbed. And it wasn’t sustainable.
The moment I realized that empathy without boundaries is just self-abandonment, something clicked. I didn’t have to carry their weight to show I cared. I could be present without being consumed.
This topic matters deeply to me because I’ve seen too many women—deep-feeling, intuitive, open-hearted women—collapse under the emotions of others. But you deserve peace, too. I see you. I feel you. And I’m rooting for you.
You’re Not Weak for Feeling It All
If you’ve ever been called “too emotional,” “too sensitive,” or “dramatic,” you’ve probably internalized the idea that you need to toughen up or push through.
But here’s the truth: sensitivity isn’t a flaw. It’s a superpower—when it’s managed with love and boundaries.
The problem is, many of us were never taught emotional hygiene. No one told us we could say, “That emotion isn’t mine to carry.” Instead, we learned to become emotional caregivers, especially as women. We were taught that being “good” meant being emotionally available—always.
So when someone walks into the room upset, we don’t just notice it—we absorb it. We try to fix it, soothe it, hold it, bury our own needs to take care of theirs.
But there’s a cost: you begin to lose touch with your own emotional baseline. You stop knowing what you actually feel, because you’re always carrying the weight of what others feel.
This matters because emotional burnout is real. Carrying everyone else’s energy will leave you anxious, resentful, and disconnected. But you can change this. You can learn to hold compassion without drowning in it. And it doesn’t make you cold—it makes you clear.
Click Here to Start Your Empowerment Journey
How to Stop Absorbing What’s Not Yours
- Ground Into Your Own Energy First
Before walking into emotionally charged spaces, take 60 seconds to ground yourself. Place a hand on your heart or belly and take three slow breaths. Say to yourself, “I am centered in my own energy.” It sounds simple, but it creates an internal boundary that says, “This is me. That is not.”
- Ask Yourself: “Is This Mine?”
When a wave of emotion hits, pause and get curious. “Is this mine, or did I pick it up from someone else?” Sometimes just naming it can break the unconscious pattern of absorbing everything around you.
Bonus: If it’s not yours, imagine handing it back—or visualize it flowing down a stream away from you.
- Create an Energetic “Off Switch”
You don’t have to be emotionally open all the time. Imagine an energetic dimmer switch you can dial down after deep conversations, stressful meetings, or time around emotionally intense people. Give yourself permission to “turn down the dial” when needed.
You’re not being rude. You’re regulating.
- Practice Healthy Detachment
Being empathic doesn’t mean you’re responsible for fixing others. You can care deeply while still knowing that their healing isn’t your job. Try this phrase when you feel yourself being pulled in: “I trust them to navigate their own emotions.”
It’s not cold. It’s clarity. And it’s freeing.
- Cleanse and Recenter
After a draining interaction, cleanse your space and your energy. Light a candle, take a walk, listen to music, or journal it out. Let your body and spirit release what doesn’t belong. Make this a ritual of self-return.
You’ve got this. One conscious choice at a time.
Rising Fierce and Free
You were never meant to be an emotional sponge. You were meant to feel deeply, yes—but also to stay rooted in your own truth.
You can be compassionate and still have boundaries. You can care for others without carrying their weight. You can love with your whole heart and still protect your peace.
So if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by everything and everyone around you, this is your reminder: You don’t have to hold it all.
You get to come home to yourself. You get to say, “This emotion is not mine.” You get to rise—fierce, clear, and free.
If this resonated with you, take a moment to check in: What emotions am I carrying right now that don’t belong to me?
Let it go. Let it pass. And come back to you.
You’re stronger than you know—and your peace matters.
Click Here to Start Your Empowerment Journey
Hi, I’m Dylan Moore — and I’m here to help you move past the pain and the trauma that have stood in the way of your healing.
For over 30 years, I’ve guided women through emotional recovery and personal transformation. As an Author and Cognitive Behavioral Specialist, my mission is to empower you with the tools and support you need to break free from the past.
I founded Balanced Analysis LLC and Breaking Barriers University to make healing practical, approachable, and real. I take complex psychological concepts and turn them into clear, actionable steps—always with compassion and care.
Now, it’s your turn to release the hurt and step into the greatest version of who you were always meant to be. And I’ll be right here to walk that path with you.
