There are lots of wonderful ways to boost your energy. But as always, follow your intuition and your own wisdom about what works for you. What is wonderfully energizing for one person might be extremely draining for another.
As an introvert, I can be incredibly juiced with energy and inspiration, but if I were to pump my arms triumphantly, yell yahoo, or do a happy dance, I would just feel phony, embarrassed and out of integrity with the feeling. Yet the energy that simmers and burbles quietly in the core of my being, is just as powerful as any overt display of energy. It still feeds my soul and sparks my ability to take action in my life.
Get in touch with your energy. How does it behave? Where does it come from?. What does having energy look like or feel like to you? Is it highly charged? Is it a quiet and satisfied glow? Does it make you feel like jumping up and down and shouting woo hoo? One sort of energy is not better or more powerful than the other.
Pay attention also to your energetic rhythms, and work with them. Is it low key and steady, or do you sometimes soar with energy and other times crash? If you need more sleep in to be at your best, find a job that accommodates your sleep pattern. If your energy is either full on or full off, consider working on project work that will take advantage of your natural rhythm. Or schedule your work so that you are doing your most challenging and demanding tasks when your energy is high. When your energy dips, opt to do less challenging tasks like catching up on email.
Here are a few ways to re-energize yourself when you find your energy flagging. I’ve got to admit, they are not rocket science, but in the rush of life, we sometimes forget the simple things, so hopefully this will serve as a good reminder to keep you present to your power to manage your energy.
Don’t dismiss the value of doing the obvious - Okay what follows is simple, and obvious, but its true all the same. We are biological beings. If we want to be energetic, we must take care of ourselves – mind, body and soul. It makes sense to take care of our physical foundation so that we are working at our optimum. For starters, do what your mother always told you to do. Eat right, go to bed earlier, get more sleep, get some fresh air, turn off the TV, eat your veggies and take your vitamins.
Get Moving – Your body is a conduit for your energy. If you want to prime the energy pump, you gotta get moving. I hesitate to say exercise, because that sounds too medicinal for my taste, however our bodies were made to be moved. Spending too much time plunked in front of computers, or televisions or behind the wheel of a car commuting makes you feel sluggish.
The best way to get the energy flowing again is to move. Wake your body and your energy up. Dance to the golden oldies, ride a bike, do some yoga, swim, hike, ski, climb, bounce a ball, juggle frying pans and bowling balls or learn to ride a unicycle. Or just keep it easy and strap on your shoes and take them out for a walk.
Hang with Energetic People – Studies have shown that humans are incredibly perceptive. We can recognize people who are disguised simply from clues such as their gait or mannerisms. In the same way we are also perceptive about other people’s energy.
Some of us have honed this ability to a fine art, however, we all have had the experience of walking into a room and being able to notice if the atmosphere was charged or especially tense even if no one was speaking.
Energy is contagious. Start to notice the energy of the people that you spend your time with. How does their energy make you feel? Does it lift you up or does it further drain you. Choose to spend your time with people that radiate positive energy. Soak in their energy, so that you in turn will radiate.
Stop being a control freak (oh yes you are!)- You are likely familiar with the oft repeated fable of the frog who is boiled to death when the temperature of the water is increased so slowly that it doesn’t notice and never jumps to safety. In the same way, we can become control freaks as life slowly gets more complicated and hectic and we attempt to control the chaos. We seek to manage a myriad of tasks, responsibilities and challenges painlessly as possible, by planning, scheduling and developing efficient ways of responding. When we are stressed we tend to go to this default response over and over again, and before we notice it our control systems have become rigid.
In the short term control can seem like efficiency, but there is a price to be paid for staying in control of life. Maintaining tight control over chaos is difficult. It takes time and attention. It takes effort and energy. And it is hugely confining. So quit trying to paddle upstream all the time, just turn and go with the flow for a change and trust that it all will work out. It’s easier and way more fun.
Step out of your comfort zone - If you’ve fallen into a rut, it might be time to make a change in your life, just for the fun of it. Routine, boredom and lack of challenge can sap your energy. You can recharge your batteries by stepping out and trying something new. Engage your brain. Learn something new. Take a class. Do something that scares you just a little bit. Take a risk that gets your blood pumping. (And by risk, I don’t mean do something dangerous, I mean an emotional risk that will open the door to growth! Something like speaking in public, or writing a book.
Find Out What Juices You and Do It – Nothing will energize you more than discovering who you are at the core and taking action to live in integrity with that insight. Knowing who you are, understanding your gifts, your purpose and your path in life is an energetic elixir. It is the fountain of youth. Following that path of discovery to what you love and immersing yourself in it is key to living an energetic and juicy life.
Some people resist focusing on the inner journey, and think spending that time on themselves is selfish. The truth however is, that until you do, you will never discover and fully release the gifts and greatness that reside within, and you will deprive yourself, and the world of the best you have to offer.
When we are living in integrity with our gifts, we have a powerful impact on others, because gifts are things meant to be shared for the benefit of others. Discovering what feeds and energizes you is essential for you and gift to the people you love and spend your time with. Go for it!
Original link: http://www.juicylife.ca/2010/01/07/5-great-ways-to-re-energize-yourself/
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