More energy- most people want it, even need it. Yet in our constant search for it, we tend to look for ways we can add energy. What foods should we eat for more energy? What supplements should we take? What ways can we “hack” our bodies so they make more of it?
But what about looking at what’s draining our energy? What’s depleting this resource we already have and how can we conserve it better?
Our bodies are making and using energy around the clock. So pretty simply, to have more energy, we want to shift this balance so that we’re not being drained more than we’re replenished. It’s a basic math calculation.
If you want more energy, you first need to be aware of what’s draining yours.
Of course, physical things like under-eating, over-exercise, overwork, sleep deprivation, eating processed/nutrient-poor foods, weak digestive function, inflammation, dehydration, consumption of sugar and caffeine, and alcohol intake to name a few.
But what about the mental and emotional side of things?
Did you know there’s a direct connection to how we physically feel?
Where your attention goes, your energy goes. So whatever you’re constantly focusing your attention on, you’re actually giving energy away too.
This means negative and unproductive thoughts and beliefs can actually be exhausting you. Especially if those thoughts and beliefs then drive your actual habits, which is generally the case (i.e. obsessing over your weight can lead to under-eating/over-exercising).
So along with addressing physical energy drains, we need to address mental and emotional energy drains, too.
Ask yourself;
What might you be wasting your precious energy on that isn’t really helping you? What isn’t reflecting reality? What is physically holding you back?
Some possibilities:
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Obsession about the size or shape of your body (and/or what you eat or how much you exercise)
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Self-doubt and other negative self-talk
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Procrastination
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Scarcity mindset
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Lack of boundaries
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Victim mentality
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Caring too much about what other people think
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Holding grudges, indecisiveness
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People pleasing
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Toxic relationships.
We can search forever for things that will help us increase our energy, but if we don’t take a look at what’s depleting it, we’ll be stuck in a vicious cycle forever. We need to consider the whole picture to positively shift our energy balance, and it starts with identifying and addressing the energy drains. If we don’t do this, it’s like constantly trying to fill a bucket with a bunch of holes in it. Let’s patch the holes.
