That’s unfiltered Arizona amazingness right there!
Unplugging, spending time in nature, and quiet time keeps my energy up. Let’s find out how you can eliminate energy drain too.
First things first – Spend your energy on what matters
Why do we spend so much energy on things that don’t matter? We’re pleasing all the people, worrying about things we can’t control, and taking on other peoples problems as if they were our own.
Stop it!
There will be a different “fix” for different personalities and the various types of energy drains, but your quality of life depends on you Recognizing them, Reflecting on them, and Regulating them.
Recognizing
If something is causing you to neglect what matters, that is a big red flag. Take a long hard look at what it is and if it’s really a necessity in your life. If it is a necessary time suck, look for ways to reorganize your day so you can do what needs to get done and be as intentional as possible with the time you have doing what you love.
Reflecting
I know, everything feels like it matters in the moment, but ask yourself these questions…
- “Is what I’m doing, or worrying about, or taking on right now going to matter in two years? If so, is it reward worth the energy drain now?
- “Will this temporary energy drain accelerate my long-term growth?”
If you answered yes, ride it out. It will be worth it. But just to be safe, keep checking in on those questions above for accountability.
If you answered no, let it go. I know that might seem impossible for some people (myself included), but if you can’t let go, if clinch on to everything just so it’s “yours,” there will always be an energy leech attached to you.
When you can recognize which energy drains are good vs toxic to your growth, it’s time to get to regulate on the later, even if it seems unnatural.
Regulating
Since everyone has different triggers, we’ll all have different defense strategies. To help you create a strategy that works for you, I’ve collected some ideas from my friends. Earlier this week I posted a question in my stories that read:
How do YOU protect YOURSELF from Energy drain?
- A nap. – @charshaff
- Learning when to say no! It’s okay to say no. Knowing where to keep my strongest yes! –@blueridgebotanicalsco
- One hour of “me time” daily. –@punkydoobmaster
- Say NO to things I really don’t want to do… even if it’s hard or I feel unnecessarily obligated! –@deb_caron
- Exercise! Also repeating the word “release while taking deep breaths to release tension. –@s_hooks
- Red wine. Sometimes gin and tonic. –@donparksjr
- Boundries! –@jess.callahan
- Block it. Don’t respond if it’s a person, take a day off if it’s work, and do something good for YOU. –@barbellsandbubbles
- Tighten up my boundaries, get more rest, and shielding meditations. –@awalkmyway
- Isolate myself when needed and don’t book events into the future. Also, stay away from the people who drain you. –@thegrayfortress
- My mom and I imagine a fake plexiglass wall that protects us from people’s vibes. –@newhavenmusic
Your turn. I believe in you.
