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Energy self-sufficiency of the personal variety

23/7/2014

I was deeply inspired by this work of Anselm Kiefer, MASS MoCA

What continues to surprise and intrigue me is just how much fluctuation we have in our thoughts, feelings and actions over the course of a minute, hour or day.

Each of us is exquisitely sensitive to an infinite number of internal and external stimuli — physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and environmental — which affect our 'energy' levels. Some stimuli are energy-enhancing, others are energy-depleting.

Have you noticed how you can be engaged, committed, confident and enthusiastic and then something happens (a sharp comment, a glance, a feeling of guilt or shame) and you become quickly reluctant, distracted, insecure and disillusioned?

My view: The better you manage your energy, the better you manage your time. The benefits include increased focus, concentration, motivation and engagement — all of which underlie professional and personal effectiveness.

Just like your recovery heart rate — the speed at which your heart returns to normal after exercise can indicate cardiac efficiency, the speed at which your positive energy returns back to "normal" after it dips can indicate energy efficiency.

Examples of what may enhance your energy include:

receiving a compliment or feeling appreciated
being stimulated, challenged, or solving a problem
feeling connected or supported by friends
recognizing new opportunities
being comfortable in your home
having faith, something to look forward to
exercise, meditation and personal care

Examples of what may deplete your energy include:

receiving a negative comment, disapproval or criticism
being under-stimulated, unable to make a decision, or avoiding a situation
waves of self-doubt and worry
negative interpretations or perspectives
living with too much clutter or under less than optimal conditions
multitasking, spreading yourself too thin, doing too much
lack of sleep, poor health, pain

Energetically yours, Coach Minda

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP - Energize your time: How to be a better manager of your most important resource.

Call for details - 514-791-4506

8 Comments

Michael

23/7/2014 10:05:37 am

I agree energy is a big key to understanding mental health. The more energy we feel, the more we feel we can overcome obstacles. Many o your examples show how our perceptions affect our energy. Another example - you see your child about to get hurt and your adrenalin surges. All perception. In addition to creating base energy through healthy living and sleep, how can we manage our perceptions to sustain high energy

Sonja

23/7/2014 02:19:56 pm

Reading Coach Minda's blog and your comment, Michael, made me think of this...

Often times when we're allowing for our energy to become depleted we end up in a constant state of defense. Defense of our self against ... (whatever that other 'opposing' entity may be; we may not even know; it may or may not actually exist). Everything that happens will now be interpreted against this state of defense and the chances of thinks happening being interpreted negatively are very high - because that's what we expect (something negative; a threat) and that's what we look for. Becoming aware of such a pattern may help us distance ourselves and may subsequently open the door for a more balanced perspective. This is a most difficult step though because in order to provide the ground for alternative perspectives, we must entertain the possibility that out initial perception (interpretation) may have been biased or incorrect. This in itself may create a threat to our self image ("What? I cannot even rely on your own judgment?") ... and so the wheel continues spinning...

How to get off the spinning wheel? I think this blog presents a great way to start this process... to break the cycle, to shift the focus... and every moment in time provides another opportunity ...

Thanks Coach Minda!

Minda link

25/7/2014 03:02:26 am

Perceptions are tricky. I think we can learn how to re-direct our 'energy' by looking at alternate explanations or finding an alternative way to view a problem. We do have mental maps that can get overly rigid. I'm going to address this in next weeks blog. Thank you Michael

Minda

25/7/2014 03:15:03 am

Sorry, the above comment was intended as a response to Michael.
I think Sonja you raise an important idea about 'faulty' interpretations and where they lead. We need to be aware of and make choices, when we find our energy is being depleted, or that our responses to a particular stimuli is exerting a negative influence on our energy, or is producing an energy that wears you down, body and soul.

Susan Meindl

24/7/2014 01:59:29 am

I especially appreciate the parallel to the heart rate recovery capacity. It is almost impossible to create a life where you completely avoid things that drain your entusiasm or interrupt your focus, but having an attitude which assumes that it is possible to settle yourself back in your groove in a reasonable time is very helpful.
A sort of "rupture and repair" attitude.

25/7/2014 03:23:50 am

I'm glad you liked the analogy. How quickly we recover from our negative energy and loss of focus, concentration and enthusiasm is key. It is impossible to avoid being thrown off..... but 'getting back in the saddle' is important. Thanks Susan

Lisa

24/7/2014 01:39:50 pm

Great blog and great comments for such a challenging task. As we have to reprogram our subconscious mind to "repair" and not "rupture". Minda thanks for aiding in the journey of 'repair'.

25/7/2014 03:25:39 am

Thanks Lisa. The journey of repair.. I like that!

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Energy self-sufficiency of the personal variety

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