Energy Drains

Are you having trouble enjoying the good things life has to offer? Are you overwhelmed by fatigue? Apathy? Do you struggle with simply feeling drained? We have felt similarly energy-less and out of control at times in our own lives–usually during moments when we are not taking care of our own needs! Consider this list in light of your own life. Are any of the points symptomatic of your own energy drain? What changes can you implement today?

• Embrace your true self–a life long process to be sure, so start now. Spend time discovering who you are and what you really like. What do you love? What pleases you? Don’t lose yourself trying to please others (family, friends, boss, etc.). Life is too short for that kind of second guessing. During my time in theatre school I struggled to please my teachers, constantly seeking their approval. It was not until my last semester that I got sufficiently fed up with my co-dependence and changed my mindset and attitude. And that’s when my acting finally got good! As I embraced my uniqueness, I discovered a greater and deeper creative well inside myself. There was no end to what I could do being me!
• Don’t deprive yourself. Our society is constantly playing on our fears and guilt. We’re bombarded with diets and medications and ways to secure our futures. The messages breed individuality, greed and a mindset of scarcity. But what about pleasure and abundance? I am certainly not advocating gluttony or excess, but I am advocating the need for fun. We all need fun and freedom in our lives. We need to allow for moments of indulgence. Every day requires a moment of unadulterated pleasure with no productive intent, a moment to embrace our spontaneity and our inner-child.

  

• Let go of envy. Embrace your current reality and wherever you find yourself. This kind of living leads to harmony and longevity. Deepak Chopra, in his book, Ageless Body, Timeless Mind suggests repeating the phrase: “Things are exactly as they should be”—a wonderful statement which affirms your present. Chances are if you got what you envy most, you would simply meet a host of new challenges. So let go of that energy draining feeling. It’s destructive and unproductive and the only one it hurts is you!
• Let go of worry. We manifest our fears and worries as we focus on them. The writer James Allen suggests in his book, As A Man Thinketh, that whereever we put our emotional energy becomes our reality. Conversely, if we spend all that energy on gratitude and positive manifestation, we will experience a positive transformation!
• Finish your business. The things you leave undone, however small, take up a vast amount of psychic energy and leave you exhausted. So send or respond to that email right now. Sort through those bills immediately. Make that phone call as soon as you think of it. Make that decision. Keeping things ‘tidy’ will keep your mind free. Steve Pavlina says he tries to make all of his decisions in sixty seconds or less. He forces himself to choose and trusts his intuition, wherever that may lead.
• Say ‘No!’ Saying ‘no’ is a skill and a gift you can give to yourself. Developing this discipline is a must as overcommitment leads to anger, bitterness, and loss of creativity. My mother always says, ‘It’s time for you to get out!’ if I’m starting to rant about a situation. And she is right. When all I can see are the negatives and how I am not being appreciated (and on and on), it certainly is time for me to say ‘no’ and get out. This kind of self-care takes time and self-awareness. Often, we fall into the same traps over and over. We continue to say ‘yes’ to an activity that brings frustration. It’s a process. But when you learn to care for yourself, you are ultimately better able to care for others, and do it with a smile on your face.
• Don’t hold on to loss. Allow yourself time to truly grieve (the end of a relationship, the loss of a job, a broken friendship, etc.) and then CHOOSE to move on. You don’t want to rush your grieving process, but neither do you want to remain in sadness. We can become attached to our states of sadness or depression if we linger there too long. They become habitual and even comfortable. That’s why we have to choose to overcome.