Your Weekly Challenge
Create More
Energy in Your Life - Part 1 of 2
When we are young we have too much of it, when we are older we can't
get enough of it. What really is "energy" and how can we create
energy in our own lives? Do we have to keep waiting for
energy-filled days or are there proactive steps we can take to
create more energy? The good news is that there are proactive steps
to create more energy. The even better news is that I am going to
share a few!
One common mistake
people make is thinking that the only way to get more energy is to
create healthy lifestyle changes that revolve around food and
fitness. While food and fitness do dramatically
influence energy--they are far from the only energy factors. Here
are the four energy factors I explore in my
High Energy Living Course.
Types of Energy:
Physical energy:
influenced by our daily lifestyle habits, food intake and
fitness levels
Emotional Energy:
influenced by our thoughts and attitude
Productive Energy:
influenced by our actions and mindset
Spiritual Energy:
influenced by our connections and self-care
Emotional
Energy and "The Second Wind"
Have you ever been
really tired and then pushed yourself to go do something anyway?
Perhaps it was a dinner with a friend or attending a talk or
lecture? Somewhere inside that period, the tiredness disappears and
is replaced by what we often call "a second wind." That "second
wind" is energy that you are producing. It isn't something you have
to wait for, you can produce that energy at any time once you
understand the steps that created it in the first place.
Discovering
emotional energy: This
energy is derived from information or events that spark emotion
and
passion. We receive new information, or hear old information in a
new way. Or perhaps we are around someone who emulates energy, and
their passion excites the energy within us.
Caution: Remember
that energy fluctuates, so as easily as you can build it - you can
also destroy it. There is no quicker way to become tired than
spending time around negative people or listening to negative news.
All stimulus influences our energy one way or the other. Watch for
stimulus that are influencing your energy levels negatively.
Example: Watching a round of Headline News will catch you up on the
day's Headlines. But does watching additional programming help or
hinder? What about reading? Are your choices uplifting and inspiring
more energy or are they energy sappers?
Put it into
Practice: To
use Emotional Energy in your everyday life, you need to discover
what produces this energy for you personally. Create a page in your
notebook for listing your energy-producers. Here are a few that are
on my list:
1. Read positive
feedback or notes I have received from readers.
2. Have coffee,
dinner or lunch with someone who I find inspiring.
3. Read a book that I
find inspiring or motivational--something that really "speaks" to
me.
4. Make sure I start
my day off with positive emotional energy through my "Good
Morning" routine.
5. Ask myself each
morning, "Who do I want to be today?" and then remain personally
accountable for being the best "me" possible.
Physical Energy
Of course we can't
"talk" about energy without including the physical element. However,
if you are overwhelmed by the thought of a new health plan, keep
reading. Little changes can make a big difference in your energy
production. Many of us are aware of the "big steps" we should take,
so I have tried to focus on little changes that make a big impact.
Sleep preparation:
Make sure
that you stop eating at least 3 hours prior to going to sleep to
allow everything to digest. Avoid caffeinated beverages after
dinner. Make your room "sleep friendly" by turning off the
television and playing relaxing music.
The affects of
food: Since
food is our primary energy source, it makes sense that good food
will produce good energy and poor choices will effect us negatively.
Reduce refined sugar in your diet as much as possible. Avoid meals
that are high in carbs during the second half of the day and focus
instead on protein. Protein provides more stable energy than carbs
which keep our body going like a roller coaster!
Reduce starches
and breads:
Bread, rolls, bagels, pasta -- starches often slow people down. Try
going a week or two with minimal starches and see if this helps your
energy level. You can conduct the same experiment with caffeine.
Pop those
vitamins: At
minimum take a good daily vitamin. While you may not see a huge
change, over long term usage, this can help prevent many of the
conditions that sap energy. The key here is consistency. Choose
something you do daily and put your vitamins and a bottled water
next to that item. Examples: next to car keys, toothbrush, coffee
maker, computer.
Food patterns: Consider
keeping a food journal to see how your energy fluctuates with your
food consumption. Make adjustments to your food intake based on your
discoveries. Remember that eating too little can be just as energy
sapping as eating the wrong foods. Work on a balanced diet and don't
forget your breakfast! Studies have shown that those who eat
breakfast have more energy. If you have a hard time eating
breakfast, find a simple solution. I often grab a breakfast bar on
the go. A lean sandwich can also be made the night before and
enjoyed in the morning. You don't have to eat "breakfast foods,"
but
you do need to eat breakfast. (Make Today Mater Members: Check
out the Mini on
Keeping A Food
Diary,
and
That Meal in the
Morning
for further support.)
Exercise: You
knew I would say it sooner or later! Getting your body moving is one
of the quickest ways to increase energy. I love using my elliptical
trainer and find that after I do so, I have extra energy to burn.
Give any exercise program about 3 weeks to start giving you energy -
the first three weeks can be tiring as we snap our bodies out of
their comas! A recent Prevention article shared how doing just 10
minutes of LIGHT weight lifting repetitions caused a focus group to
feel a 45% increase in their energy level. Pick up some light
weights (5-10 pounds) at your local discount-mart and use them by
your television at night. (Make Today Matter Members: Check out mini
#30 Let's Get
Movin'
for support.)
Put it into
Practice:
It is important to recognize that energy isn't a "one size fits all"
formula. I encourage you to experiment with each concept, paying
attention to how it impacts your energy level. Choose one area to
start with from the above list and schedule a "start date" on your
calendar this coming week.
Your Weekly
Challenge:
Today begin keeping a small notebook as an energy log. Write down
steps you can take over the week to improve both your emotional and
physical energy. Then watch for next week's newsletter for part two
in this series where we explore Productive Energy and Spiritual
Energy.
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High Energy Living ....
Five Weeks to Recover, Reclaim,
and Maximize Your Energy
 Do you wake up feeling
drained instead of invigorated for the day ahead?
Do you find your energy goes
up and down, making it hard for you to exert consistent
effort?
Do you have a hard time
staying focused or following a task through to
completion?
Would you describe yourself
as depleted rather than rejuvenated after the day?
Do you frequently feel
dissatisfied with how a day unfolds and just wish you
had more energy?
If
you relate to these questions, an Energy-Tune Up might
be just the treatment you need.
Did you know that
scientists can predict how much energy you will have in
the afternoon based on what you do within the first hour
of waking? You'll learn the routine that increases
energy and many more tips you can apply immediately in
your life. (And no, you don't have to run three miles
every morning!) In this class, I will help you ...
-
Understand your personal
energy cycle and how to use it to your advantage
-
Identify key energy
drainers in your life and devise an action plan to
eliminate them
-
Determine how much sleep
you actually need
-
See how your food and
beverage choices (and when you eat them) impact your
metabolism and energy
-
Learn the 5 secrets of
high-energy individuals and how to apply them to
your life
-
Explore the external
factors that effect Energy (from color to sound to
temperature)
-
Understand what
scientists have learned about how we sleep, our
ideal patterns, and maximizing rest to invigorate
the body
For complete details or to
click here
Join the Last Group of 2008
Make Today Matter Membership
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to help you build balance, manage time, gain energy, get organized, and maintain
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Online
events hosted by Brook and the MTM Team like
Girls Night Out
and Operation Ugly
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Priority Planning Workshop
Challenges
from Brook
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online journal
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Contests
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Online
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click here for complete details and start dates
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