Connection: the Wisdom of Managing Our Energy
Summer typically is a season for connecting with others. We vacation, invite house guests, visit friends and family. We connect with others. We share smiles, laughter, food, stories, fun and adventure. As we connect with others, we feel a burst of energy from relating, sharing and experiencing new and different perspectives about life.
Recently I re-connected with a friend I have had for 23 years. After spending a few days with her in “her” life, I came away feeling lighter and happier. Her life consists presently in raising a 2 year old. The visits to the zoo, reading stories in the evening, and going to the park to hear the ducks, all brought me to a lovely state of being and awareness this connection with my friend and her son allowed me to slow down and notice again the simple pleasures in life. It brought me energy, a sense of renewal and a fresh perspective on my own life.
There is the connection and energy we gain from being with others, and yet there is also the connection and energy we reap from being with ourselves. By turning inward, a profound connection with ourselves allows us to have the wisdom to realize something very valuable; that it might be time to turn off the lights and rest. Managing our energy requires connecting with ourselves and deciding what is most needed by us in a given moment.
So many people give 100 percent all day long, but they never renew. Renewal can be doing yoga, getting a massage, walking by a lake, laughing with a friend, praying, turning off your cell phone, eating 5-6 mini meals a day rather than 3 large meals, going for a good run… (The Power of Full Engagement, by Jim Loehr)
Think of your energy as a resource, and you will have to decide how you
will manage it. There are times to connect with others, and give and gain energy, and there is time to connect with you and renew, refresh and revitalize.
Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you’re going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus. That means asking yourself, if what I’m doing is part of my overall plan-and can I release the energy I’ll need?”
Oprah Winfrey
This summer, in the midst of connecting with others, do not forget the most important person to connect with…YOU!
Coaching Challenge:
- Identify someone in your life whom you feel energized after spending time with, a friend, co-worker a member of your family, and make a date to “connect” with them this summer. Experience the energy surge of spending time with them.
- Schedule time to connect with yourself this summer, pay attention to your body asking for rest, and notice what brings you energy.
- Lastly, in all the fun and activities do not forget about the most crucial way to renew, restore and come away with huge amounts of energy….sleep!
Lots of love,
Coach Heather
LifeWorks 