Have you ever looked at a young child and said, “I sure wish I had that much energy!” Well, you are probably not alone if you have said or thought that you could use a little more pep in your step! When I was deciding what to name my business, I was seriously considering using the word “energy” somewhere in the name because I thought it would attract more mom’s. I do intend to write about this subject quite a bit so consider this post as an overview of four common themes I have determined to be relevant in our quest to have more energy.
Having spent nearly twenty years leading exercise sessions and wellness coaching sessions, this is a topic that is talked about to some degree all….the…..time! No matter what your age or stage of life, having more energy is surely a need and a desire. If you would like to learn about four different decaffeinated ways to get more energy, read on my friend!
1. Get Up: First you need to take an honest look at where you are at currently in your behaviors and attitudes that shape your overall wellbeing. I’m talking physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, social, financial, and whatever other factors are meaningful to you.
Spend some quiet time with yourself to reflect on how you are doing, and then in that quiet space, you will hopefully be able to come up with what your next step will be. In that quiet space, you may conjure up a desire to get up from where you are at, and start moving with your plan to become more energized.
There are many tools available online to help you assess the important facets of your well-being and self-care journey. I definitely recommend hiring a wellness coach to help you gain clarity in these areas and craft goals to move you forward and become un-stuck.
Speaking from professional experience as a Certified Wellness Coach and also personally from working with wellness coaches myself, forward progress with greater feelings of clarity, positivity and confidence is an outcome from investing in yourself in this way. (Trust me.)
2. Start Moving: This theme actually has two meanings. First, I am referring to physically moving your body. Whether that is doing scheduled exercise or just moving your body in order to get the blood flowing and the muscles working, your energy will increase tremendously. I will provide more scientific evidence of this in future posts, but for now, please just be assured that if you want more energy, exercise is paramount!
For all the mama’s out there who think there isn’t time in your schedule to fit in structured exercise: I hear you! And that is why I encourage you to find moments in your day to press the pause button and just move, wherever you are. Why not have a dance party in your living room with your kids? Talk about energizing and fun(ny)! Let’s do that together right now (or after you read the rest of the tips….) Join me (and eventually two of my kiddos at the end) for one of my favorite songs to dance to by the Jonas Brothers: Only Human.
The second meaning to this “get more energy” theme, is to get moving with your plan that you came up with in step 1. Important note: The plan needs to be realistic by being made up of small steps that are achievable. With small steps, you are more likely to be successful more quickly. Once you achieve something, then you feel confident and will set new goals that are realistic and achievable, and the positive upward spiral of success and positive emotions continues.
Oftentimes, taking that first step or just STARTING to move is the most challenging. It’s kind of like when you eat a big meal, and you sit down afterwards. Ugh! The longer you sit, the less you want to get up and accomplish anything. This tired feeling comes across you, and then some perky person asks you to do something physical, like take a walk. This is the last thing you want to do!
However, if you take that first, most difficult move of getting off the couch, the rest is easier. You go for your walk….and halfway in, you notice that you are starting to feel more energized. By the time you finish your walk, you feel amazing! In your quest to get more energy, whether it’s just to become more energized in a particular day or in your life in general, make a plan, take the first step, and don’t look back!
3. Get Rest: According to the National Sleep Foundation, most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Also, it is recommended that the time you go to bed and the time you wake each day should be close to the same every day. How are you doing with that?
I highly encourage you to do a little research on the topic of sleep, if you haven’t already. It is fascinating. We are just talking about getting more energy today so I will keep it basic. If you are sleep deprived, your body will do what is minimally necessary to function while awake. It is hard to thrive and be energized when our body has not gone through adequate time to repair and grow.
Along with sleeping well, taking a break from all the physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding tasks we fill our lives with will help to create more energy. It’s during these intentional periods of rest, that our bodies can become rejuvenated and energized.
If having optimal health and wellbeing is one of your top priorities, I highly recommend visiting Dr. Aviva Romm’s website or podcast for information on the topic of getting your internal health back on track in a natural way. We all have our own method of resting. Some people meditate, while some watch TV, and others get massages or take nice long baths. It doesn’t really matter what it is, as long as you are setting aside sacred time for giving your mind, body and spirit the proper rest it needs so that bountiful energy is within your reach each day.
4. Start Removing: This can sometimes be the most challenging thing to do, but oh, it can be so amazingly relieving!
Metaphorically speaking, each of us carries a backpack around with us each day. Inside this backpack, are bricks that each weigh a different amount depending on how heavy of a burden they are in our lives. Take a few deep breaths right now…..clear your mind……and label what each of those bricks are in your own backpack? Write them down if that helps.
For example, these heavy bricks could be difficult relationships, addictions, financial stress, disease or other health issues, unrealistic expectations we place on ourselves, clutter, job stress, or just having too many things to keep track of that clutter our lives with chaos and frenzy.
Now, continue to breathe deeply, and with your mind focused on these bricks, think about which of the bricks you are ready to remove from your backpack. When we create space in our lives by removing things that are within our control to remove, we have more room for energy to give to things that mean the world to us. What can you release so that you can get more of that which brings you joy?
Thank you so much for taking the time to consider these four steps. Did you know that taking some time to practice mindfulness or meditation can give you more clarity?. Whether you have never meditated once in your life or you have had it as a daily practice for years, I invite you to try my free Kindness for Parents Guided Meditation. Trust that there are words inside that you are meant to hear.
I look forward to sharing more with you next week!
