Energy /ˈenərjē/
(noun): The strength and vitality required for sustained mental or physical activity.
Also see: Vitality, vigor, life, liveliness, animation, vivacity, spirit.
I’ve had “energy” on the brain for the last several weeks. Energy is something we all want more of and yet can never get enough of.
What happens when we lack energy? What happens when we feel depleted—like we’re running on fumes—and have nothing left to give?
For starters, things start to fall apart.
We become fatigued. We become disengaged. We begin to feel guilty and dissatisfied.
And then the true spiral begins: When we lack energy—when we are truly exhausted—we invent easy excuses and indulge in “seductive” habits that only exacerbate these feelings of lethargy and despair. We stop working out. We start eating poorly, giving into fast, easy options instead of more sustaining, healthier fare. We sleep poorly, tossing and turning throughout the night without ever reaching a successful sleep cycle. We start to pull away from the passions and people that mean the most to us.
In severe cases we move through life on “autopilot,” devolving into zombies that plod through the motions in dissociated, deeply haunting ways.
But how do we reach this point?
The tricky part about energy is that we inaccurately define it as interchangeable with time. Crucial deadline at work? Put in more hours, more time, so we can deliver. But what does putting in more hours ultimately do in the long run? Does additional time directly correlate to a better, sleeker, more creative end result?
Not necessarily.
But what if time wasn’t the answer? What if, instead of focusing on something that is finite, something that—to a large extent—lies completely outside of our control—we focused on that which we can personalize and replenish in order to achieve more effective results and improved quality of life?
What if we intentionally cultivated purposeful ways to harness and perpetuate our energy?
Notably, there is a distinct difference between time and energy. And, while we often view these entities as interchangeable, they are actually quite markedly different.
For starters, time is finite: There is only so much time at our disposal, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. Indeed, each of us receives twenty-four hours every day. We can live those hours, waste those hours, make the most of those hours, but once they’re up, they’re up: There’s no going back.
In contrast, energy is not finite; rather, it is a renewable resource. We can tap into energy time and time again—as many times as we want, for that matter—if we consciously and effectively know how to do so. Similar to time, it might feel like we have a fixed amount of energy—that once our energy is expended it’s game over—but that’s simply not true. Rather, we can learn to continually cultivate this power if we intentionally institute energy-restoring practices on a regular, routine basis.
So how do we renew this ever-important life source?
Very carefully.
Very intentionally.
Energy is divided into four foundational sources: Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual. Within each dimension, we can systematically develop and routinely renew energy by establishing specific rituals and habits. Like any habit, if we frequently practice ways to renew energy then we eventually begin to internalize these processes, making them unconscious and automatic.
“But Katie,” you might say, “this all sounds good and great, but I’m too busy to focus on energy management. I’m simply too stressed.”
If this is your response then it might be time to take a step back. Let’s unpack some of that.
First, there is a notable difference between pressure and stress. Pressure derives from the external demands in our environment. Everyone has pressure that stems from work obligations, personal desires, and familial duties. Yes, these things are inherently demanding, but they inherently are not stress. Rather, stress is what people do with the pressures they experience; indeed, stress is directly connected to what we choose to do with our minds.
The more we mull things over—the more we contemplate the various ways we’ve failed in the past and worry about how that might map onto our future—the more we build unnecessary stress. Unlike reflection which involves reviewing the past and making plans for the future in a healthful, positive way, when we ruminate we attach negative emotion to that which we cannot change, spinning deeper and deeper into an abominable abyss of “should have” “could have” and “would have(s)” that threaten to consume us completely.
On average, humans spend 70% of our daytime hours in “waking sleep”—that is a semiconscious state of being in which we bumble through life without truly noticing our surroundings and engaging with the people around us. Have you ever driven across town and exited your car without fully remembering the details of how you got from point A to point B? Well, that’s “waking sleep,” and it threatens to pull us from the present and launch us into a harmful cycle of endless rumination and rapidly depleting energy.
Yikes! What do we do about this?
We intentionally choose to combat it.
In a recent workout, Peloton instructor Ally Love charged her riders with this mantra: “Stop ‘should-ing’ yourself[1]—i.e telling yourself you should have been bolder in that meeting, you should have run faster in that race, you should have been a better parent in that one scenario—and give yourself permission to find beauty in where you are and what you’ve accomplished in the present moment. For ultimately the “shoulds” are useless; they do us no good. However, if we cultivate a practice of intentionally recognizing these moments of self-sabotage and negative self-talk, then we can manage our stress and ultimately learn to harness profound forms of renewable energy.
I know what you might be thinking: I do renew my energy; that’s what weekends and vacations are for. This may be true, but only to an extent.
Vacation serves as a great temporary fix, but we need a long-term plan for energy management and renewal that moves us out of living for the weekend or for that big exotic vacation and moves us into living for the joy, beauty, and possibility of the present moment. This process isn’t easy—it truly is a practice—but here are a few small ways you can begin to renew your energy on a daily basis:
- Prioritize restful sleep
- Step outside for a walk or breath of fresh air
- Write a note/email of gratitude
- Practice yoga or meditation
- Take time to have a meaningful conversation with a friend
- Listen to music that stimulates endorphins and conjures positive associations
- Go on a run/engage in any form of physical activity
- Remove the screens and find time to consciously unplug
- Savor the smell, taste, or touch of something you love
Perhaps this list may seem daunting, but you don’t have to complete everything on it: You just have to start somewhere.
Explore forms of energy renewal that interest you, experiment, fail, adapt, and try again. There’s really no way you can go wrong.
Pressures are everywhere. Stress is pervasive. But energy is a powerful, sustainable antidote if we learn how to differentiate what is within our control from what lies outside of it and begin to normalize the need for perpetual renewal.
Invest in yourself: Notice
the small details, the “vivid violet” colors that surround you, and your energy
will follow. Choose to wake up to the
world, and you’ll be surprised by the renewed sense of energy, purpose, and
vivacity that explodes all around you.
[1] Not to be confused with “shitting” yourself, which is also something you should avoid doing…
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