Episode 90 – Energy Vampires with Frank Mesa I Am Self-ish Podcast Some people leave you feeling supported. Others leave you feeling depleted. In this episode, Will Wright sits down again with Frank Mesa, author, leadership strategist, and creator of the E-R-D™ Framework, to talk about energy vampires, boundaries, people-pleasing, and the cost of staying in relationships that constantly take more than they give. Frank and Will break down what an energy vampire actually looks like in real life. Not someone having a difficult week, but someone who repeatedly relies on your attention, validation, emotional labor, or energy without creating real reciprocity. They explore how these relationships can leave you feeling anxious, exhausted, less confident, or emotionally drained, and why childhood conditioning, peacemaking, and people-pleasing can make it harder to recognize when too much is being taken from you. One of the biggest themes in the conversation is boundaries. Healthy people may not always like your boundaries, but they can respect them. Draining relationships often reveal themselves when a boundary is finally enforced. Frank also introduces his Law of Direction, the idea that change requires more than hoping for a different outcome. You have to define where you want to go and make decisions that actually move you in that direction. The conversation also includes honest self-reflection. Will talks about recognizing times when his own need for validation created unhealthy patterns, reinforcing an important point: accountability is not only about identifying what other people are doing to us. It also means being willing to examine what we bring into our relationships. Frank connects the conversation back to his E-R-D™ Framework: Evolve, Revolve, Devolve, asking whether our relationships and decisions are moving us forward, keeping us stuck, or pulling us backward. At some point, protecting your energy becomes a choice. Set the boundary and pay attention to what happens next. Frank Mesa is an author, leadership strategist, and creator of the E-R-D™ Framework. Drawing on more than three decades of executive leadership experience, his work focuses on self-leadership, behavioral patterns, intentional decision-making, accountability, and examining what he calls “the receipts on ourselves.” He is also the author of Alchemy: It’s As Easy As E-R-D, Turning Pain into Power and helps individuals and leaders recognize the patterns shaping their decisions so they can create better results in life and business. LinkedIn: Frank A. MesaInstagram: @frankmesaerdTikTok: @frankmesa_e_r_dFacebook: Frank MesaYouTube: Frank Mesa E-R-D™ Download Frank’s complimentary E-R-D™ Life Assessment Workbook, a 12-page self-assessment designed to help you identify where you are evolving, revolving, or devolving in your health, finances, relationships, and career. https://e-r-d.com/resources/erd-life-assessment-workbook “Energy vampires are takers.” “Always evolve.” Produced and Edited by Will Wright William WrightCertified Master PractitionerCareer & Leadership Coach📧 Will@iamself-ish.com📞 646-645-1509🌐 www.iamself-ish.com Be bold. Be SELF-ISH.Less stress. More choice.
