Resilience and Self-Care
Welcome to the Year of the Pig!
It's apparently a year to find peace, happiness and contentment in life…but how do we do that when we know (or maybe don’t realize) that deep inside we are already exhausted as we start the new year? How do we draw upon the resilience we need to experience that inner peace, happiness and contentment? Well, it all starts with self-care.
Last month we explored finding clarity in our general areas of life and setting intentions and goals we aspire to achieve for the year of 2019; now that we have done so, what steps do we need to take to ensure we keep our energy reserves up to meet those goals?
Unlike the Energizer Bunny…we do not have an endless amount of energy to keep our momentum up! And, we are not like our cell phones which have a battery indicator light that tells us how much battery reserves we have left before we need to “plug in” and get re-charged! But don’t we wish we did??!!
Did you know…How We Manage Our Energy Shapes Our Resilience
When our energy output exceeds our energy input we can become chronically exhausted. This can lead to impatience, irritability and reactivity at work, with others, and a lack of energy for home and family life. And all too often, when we are exhausted, we end up turning to non-regenerative activities like watching too much TV, feeling too tired to exercise, or indulging in non-healthy eating and drinking habits.
You might be wondering “so how can I manage my energy reserves to meet the overarching demand of my work day, my home life and my relations with others?” Truth be told, people who flourish and thrive manage their energy in ways that keep their resilience stores full.
Just how well do you take care of yourself? Are you one of many people who become so consumed by your work that you fail to replenish your energy? If so, sooner or later, you will pay the price. You are at risk of becoming physically exhausted, mentally drained, emotionally spent and spiritually depleted. You are at risk of burn-out. And what about those goals you had set for your New Year? How will you stay true to those if you are depleted and burned-out?
Our thoughts, behaviors and emotions all have an energy consequence which can be negative or positive, depleting or renewing. It is vital to balance your energy output against replenishing inputs.
When you have healthy levels of energy stores and are successfully keeping them replenished, you are able to:
- Contemplate and reflect
- Set and have Intentions
- Plan
- Be calm and have clarity
- Renew and are invigorated
- Have confidence and capacity
- Find fulfillment
- Have meaningful connection with yourself and others
Conversely, when your energy stores are out of balance and depleted you exhibit signs of:
- Impulsiveness
- Fearfulness
- Reactivity
- Impatience or rigidity
- Negativity and resentment
- Overburden and exhaustion
- Anxiety or depression
- Disengagement
So how can we increase and support our resilience against stress and burn-out? We must replenish four key areas of our energy stores:
1) Renewing your Physical Energy through:
- Healthful sleep habits
- Cardio and strength fitness routines
- Regular healthful nourishment and hydration (water)
- Regular renewal breaks throughout the day
2) Renewing your Cognitive/Mental Energy by:
- Mindfulness practice
- Visualization
- Eating healthy and forming healthy sleep habits that supports optimal brain activity
- Mentally engaging in positive self-talk
3) Renewing our Emotional Energy by focusing on:
- Healthful sleep habits to support optimal recovery and hormone activity
- Positive emotions and letting go of the negative emotions that can be so draining
- Mindfulness practice
4) Renewing your Spiritual Energy which fuels your passion, perseverance and commitment:
- Cultivate Connection with others by focusing on what is meaningful, including:
- Aligning with your Values
- Visioning who you could be when you are your “best self”
- Purpose - finding a deeper meaning in life
Most importantly, reward yourself for your positive efforts of self-care and energy replenishment!
Do you desire to explore how you can replenish your energy stores and set yourself up for success this year? Connect with me and schedule a 40-minute exploratory call – I would be honored to help you find and keep up your energy stores to set you up for a successful year in both your work life and your personal life!
