Energy is easily one of the most powerful currencies of our time.
In a culture where faster is better, more is never enough, and our workloads are never-ending, a lack of energy can become a huge hindrance for our body and mind.
Most of us end up relying on caffeine, sugar, and fast food just to get through the day. This can quickly become habit forming and begin to rob us of our body's natural capacity to feel energized.
Energy shouldn't be something you chase after; it should be a byproduct of good nutrition and a well-nurtured mind. While it's true that your energy levels may be in a state of flux throughout the day, there are steps that you can take to keep your baseline more stable.
Here's where you can start:
1. Feed your brain
We know that good nutrition is essential to feeling vibrant, but we can definitely kick this up a notch by choosing foods that specifically help to nourish the mind. Most of our exhaustion comes from being mentally burnt out. We're stuck in this fast paced world of information overload and our brain doesn't get enough time to rest. Targeting your nutrition to help keep your mind sharp will provide the extra support that it needs.
Your brain is mostly composed of fat, and adding more of the healthy fats into your diet is an excellent first step. Some good choices are walnuts, coconut oil, avocado, and wild salmon. Another option is to drink teas high in antioxidants such as green tea and fresh turmeric root tea, which protect your cells from damage by free radicals.
2. Address the biggest stressors in your life
Much of our lack of energy stems from the constant stress that floods our daily lives. Addressing our stressors creates an opportunity to minimize the power they have to leave us down and depleted. Our stressors can be anything from foods, activities, jobs, people, and things. Think of them as energy zappers -- parts of your life that extract more of your energy than they can ever give back.
When I was first trying to get my energy baseline back, alcohol was one of the first things to go. Even though I was only drinking in moderation, I always felt a little blah after I drank. So I cut it out for a year while I allowed my body to come back into a natural state of balance.
Creating timelines for yourself can help make the process of elimination much easier. Instead of cutting the cord completely, you're just taking a break, which alleviates the stress of making changes to your lifestyle.
3. Set up a decompression practice
There is tremendous power in having a ritual where you can remove some of the stress stuck inside of your mind and body. Releasing this stagnant energy allows for the flow of new, more radiant energy to enter. We need time to rest and recharge and when done mindfully, a decompression practice can be the most invigorating energy hack.
Yoga is an amazing choice since it focuses on connecting the body and mind through breath while releasing tension stuck in the physical body. Meditative coloring, painting, meditation, writing, and hiking are other beneficial options.
Often, my clients will say that these activities are too slow and that they find themselves unable to connect. That's exactly part of the challenge -- being able to still the mind and adapt to a slower pace. I do, however, suggest that you find something that works for you even if it's a more intense activity like boxing or a team sport. This will gently reawaken your ability to be in the present and to decompress.
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Remember, energy doesn't have to be something that disappears as you get older, it can be something that gets stronger with the right tools.