We’ve all been there. You watch a certain colleague or manager walk away, and you let out a quiet sigh. In that moment, you find yourself wishing, for the hundredth time: “If only this person would just… disappear.”

Maybe it’s the teammate who expertly passes off work but is first to claim credit. Or the boss whose unpredictable moods hold the entire office hostage. They hang over your work life like stubborn storm clouds, turning days that could be bright into ones that feel heavy, draining the very air you breathe.

We pour so much precious energy into complaining to friends, arguing with them in our heads, and replaying every frustrating scene. But the result is always the same: they remain unchanged, while we are left utterly spent.

Today, I want to share a different approach—one that is far more effective and gentle on your spirit. The secret isn’t about changing them, or even about making them leave. It’s about changing your own energy, and then watching, almost mysteriously, as your world begins to rearrange itself in response.

The Paradoxical Truth: What You Resist, Persists

Before we explore the “how,” let’s embrace a fundamental truth of energy: the more you focus on hating someone, the more tightly you bind them to your reality.

This brings us to a gentle but unwavering truth in the realm of energy: what you resist, persists.

Why? Because you are directing your most valuable resources—your focus and your emotional fuel—like a powerful spotlight, beaming it straight onto the person you dislike. You think of them on your commute, talk about them at lunch, and rehearse conversations with them before bed.

From an energy standpoint, you aren’t pushing them away. You are anchoring them to you. You’re programming your mind’s navigation system (your Reticular Activating System, or RAS) with a powerful command: “Please show me more evidence of how difficult this person is!” And your faithful RAS obeys, making sure they continue to show up in your story, exactly in the role you’ve assigned them.

Three Practices to Reclaim Your Energy Sovereignty

The real solution is to gently turn that spotlight away from them, and shine it back onto yourself—onto the peace and environment you truly desire.

Practice 1: Create Your “Inner Sanctuary” (A Visualization)

This is a profoundly simple yet powerful practice. Each morning before work, or whenever you feel their energy approaching, take just one minute.
Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and imagine a shield of warm, brilliant light forming a protective capsule around you—from head to toe. This light is gentle but impenetrable. Silently affirm: “This is my sacred space. Any energy or words not meant for my well-being simply flows around it, unable to touch my core.”
Think of this not as building a wall, but as cultivating a sacred inner sanctuary. It allows you to remain rooted in your own peace, no matter what storms may swirl around you.

Practice 2: The “This Is Not Mine” Mantra

When your coworker is complaining or deflecting blame, resist the inner urge to engage. Instead, look at them, take a quiet breath, and repeat this silently in your mind:
“That is their emotion, not mine. This is their lesson to learn, and I choose not to be affected.”
This isn’t about being cold or indifferent. It’s an act of profound self-respect—gently but firmly setting down the emotional baggage that was never yours to carry.

Practice 3: Redirect Focus from the Problem to the Vision

Transform the mental energy you spend on complaining into fuel for clarity. Stop focusing on: “I hate how irresponsible they are.”
Start consciously holding this instead: “I am part of a team built on mutual respect and clear communication. In this environment, I feel valued, safe, and my creativity flows naturally.”
It’s like reprogramming your inner GPS. Stop setting the destination to “Avoid Toxic Co-worker,” and instead, clearly input the coordinates for “Collaborative & Respectful Team.” Your mind is an excellent navigator—once it knows where you truly want to go, it will begin mapping the route.

How Your World Shifts When You Change

When you consistently reclaim your energy in this way, the outer world must respond. The outcome may surprise you, and it often unfolds in one of three beautiful ways:

1. They naturally drift away. When your energy shifts and you’re no longer an easy target for drama, you become “uninteresting” to them. They’ll seek their energetic fuel elsewhere.
2. New opportunities find you. Your RAS, now tuned to “harmony and respect,” will start highlighting new paths—a transfer, a recruiter’s call, a project that gracefully leads you out.
3. The dynamic between you changes. Sometimes, your steady, calm presence can unconsciously soften their behavior around you.

Notice how each of these paths leads you to the same peaceful shore: a work environment where you can thrive. And every single one begins not with a change out there, but with a sovereign choice in here: to master your own energy.

The True Answer Was Never About Them

So, how do you manifest a toxic coworker’s departure?
You stop trying to.
You stop focusing on their presence and begin pouring your heart into becoming the person you want to be, within the environment you know you deserve.

This practice is more than a workplace strategy. It’s a sacred step on your manifestation journey. As you walk steadfastly toward the light of the environment you deserve—without giving your energy to what you’re leaving behind—you’ll one day look up and realize: those storm clouds have drifted away on their own, leaving your sky clearer than you remember.

💭 Have you navigated a similar situation? What inner practice helped you find your peace? Share your experience below—your insight might be the light someone else needs.