How often do you charge your cell phone? Put gas in your car?
WHY so freaking often?!
Because when we use something constantly, that’s how fast the energy gets consumed.
Now, how often do you use your body?
And how frequently are you charging your batteries?
Do you know how to refuel your own energy?
These are crucial questions to consider, and ones I ask my clients every week. One of the biggest reasons we can feel depleted is because we have no idea how to fuel up, fill our reserves, charge our batteries. The things that drain our energy are unending, and come at us all day every day. Just lying still breathing requires some energy! If we actually go out in the world to school, careers, social engagements, and all the rest, we are constantly spending our energy supply.
If we are not making space in our schedule to recharge, or have no idea where to go to plug in, is it any wonder we feel drained, exhausted, and overwhelmed?
We can optimize health and energy by defining what recharges us (energy gains), and releasing any energy drains that are optional.
Killing Time vs. Creating Fun
Just to be clear – relaxed scrolling, or watching TV is not the same as being plugged in. There is nothing wrong with those activities, but they can’t really be counted as recharging. It’s kind of like not charging the phone, but not using it either. We end up with no net loss or gain in energy. Our battery charger MUST be plugged in for a gain in energy to occur, so simple “down-time” activities like scrolling social media or watching entertainment are not inherently energy building and should not be included when listing energy gains.
Rather than helping us disengage (like watching or scrolling), energy gains are usually things that engage our energy and feel like fun. With this distinction in mind, we can begin to define a list of people, places, and practices in our lives that actually feed us energy and fuel us up, and which ones drain our energy and leave us feeling exhausted and empty inside.
The lists below are merely suggestions to get us thinking about what fills us with joy, and where we actually choose to spend our energy supply. They are not meant to be all inclusive.
Maximize Energy Gains
- Any self-care practices you already do, or want to begin doing.
- Spend time in nature.
- Look at beautiful nature photography.
- Enjoy nature videos on YouTube.
- Move your body in any way that’s FUN.
- Read uplifting books and articles.
– Find people who inspire you and LET THEM! - Listen to inspiring podcasts.
– Find people who inspire you and LET THEM, but with your ears. - Talk to a coach or therapist.
– This is an excellent way to personalize a shift in mindset. - Breathe deeply.
- Relax often.
- Slow down with meals to gain more pleasure from your food.
- Offer yourself unconditional love.
– This takes practice, and often requires support from others. - Frequently tell yourself and others what you appreciate in them.
- Hug everyone.
- Say what you think always, but say it with love.
– Speaking our truth is essential for health, and so is not harming others with our words or emotions. - Schedule time to do the things that make you happy!
– THIS is the key to increasing the energy available to us! - Dive into my toy box and find lots inspiring ideas!
Play with any or all of these as feels right in your experience!
Minimize Energy Drains
- Negative self talk!
– This is the most energy draining activity humans do. - Neglecting self-care.
- Judging self and others.
– Everyone is right where we need to be, and doing the best we can in each moment. - Negative emotions like anger, frustration, irritation, depression, fear, guilt, worry…
– These are NORMAL human emotions to feel and then move through, and they drain our energy when we get stuck in them. - Doing things you do NOT want to do.
– Don’t force yourself to say yes when you want to say no. - NOT doing things you want to do!
– Not doing what charges our batteries drains our energy double time. - Limiting beliefs.
– Any thought we keep thinking that keeps us from moving forward. - Taking things personally.
– Their behavior is never about me and always about them. - Poor quality food.
– Nourishing foods increase our energy. Poor quality foods deplete our energy. - Gossip and drama.
- People-pleasing.
- Clutter, disorganization.
– Visual clutter can drain our energy. - Overuse of caffeine, sugar, or alcohol.
– There is nothing wrong with using some caffeine, sugar, or alcohol, and overuse of any of these powerful substances will deplete our energy.
Play with watching what shows up in your experience.
Play with identifying where your energy is leaking.
Play with letting go of these as you become willing to release them!
Once we create our own lists, we are able to make choices based on how much energy we have, and how we most want to spend it!
Grow on!
Try creating your own lists of what fills your fuel tank and what leaves you feeling empty! Then schedule some of the battery chargers in your calendar, and play with letting go of some of the behaviors that drain you.
Please reach out if I can help! Schedule a chat at THIS LINK so we ca connect!
