Is there a personal energy crisis going on in your life?  On the surface, your life seems full enough—maybe even too full—yet you’re running on empty.  You feel stretched thin, stressed-out, drained.  Sound familiar?  It’s an epidemic, especially among women, trying to do and have it all—simultaneously!

 

We tend to think that the energy we require is physical, but that’s a myth. Yes, we need to get enough sleep, water, nutrients, and exercise. However, according to Mira Kirshenbaum in her book, The Emotional Energy Factor: The Secrets High-Energy People Use to Beat Emotional Fatigue, 70% of our total energy is emotional—the kind that gives us resilience, passion, and fun.

 

Today there’s a lot of emphasis on caring for our bodies, but we often neglect our souls.  And that’s the secret of high-(emotional) energy people. They may not have lucky genes or a happy childhood—but they invariably make it a priority to protect and replenish their emotional energy. The good news is that anyone can develop this skill. 

 

Here are some suggestions on replenishing and maintaining your emotional energy supply:

 

Identify what fills your tank.  Pleasure, prayer, friendship, anticipation, fun—and give yourself more.  All good things, including true, unforced giving, flow from a full heart—and a full tank!

 

Plug the leaks. Learn to recognize what drains your energy: life situations, toxic people, or habits--like worry, guilt, indecision, and envy—and take steps to eliminate, avoid or at least minimize them.

 

Claim what you need—without feeling selfish. It’s sometimes said that the two best ways to control a woman are telling her she’s fat or selfish! Claiming what you need may set off your “Selfish!!” alarm, but emotional energy is the requirement for everything we care about. It’s never selfish to put energy in your tank.

 

Treasure your emotional energy above all else. It may finally give you the fuel you need to create balance in your life.

 

Once you learn to tap this fuel, you’ll discover that it’s a renewable resource. Unlike physical energy, which decreases as we get older, emotional energy can increase the more you learn what works best for you.

 

Imagine always being able to refuel and having more and more energy as you go through life!

Atlee Caldwell, Personal Life Coach, providing individual and group coaching for women; speaking programs; and workshops. 603-888-4720; icoach@atleecaldwell.com; www.atleecaldwell.com; Nashua, NH 03062, USA