Navigating the energies of body, mind and spirit
Tips for balancing and nourishing our energies in a chaotic world
Over the last decade, from my late twenties to now, I’ve become more and more aware of my energies: physical, cognitive, emotional, social and spiritual.
The way I’ve learned about each of them is by reaching my limits on each one—and by reaching limits I mean getting into a state of burnout or disquiet that, on reflection (sometimes with the help of a friend or therapist), I was able to connect back to a specific side of me that had been undernourished.
I know I’m not the only one—people talk about burnout all of the time, it’s not an uncommon state. But I think we are all capable of finding balance within ourselves so that we can avoid burnout, or at least curb the damage as and when it happens.
One of the more profound and helpful mental models that I learned years back was to pretend you are your own ideal parent—and your job is to nurture, soothe and ensure that you have everything you need to be steady, balanced, and healthy. Seeking balance is an act of love for yourself.
And we know life is always, always, going to throw challenges at us. There will be pitfalls, stresses, grief, sadness, frustration, etc, etc. And of course those things will get us down, I’m not here to preach toxic positivity. However, when those things happen, we are like trees in a storm—we may lose some branches, and our energies might have to focus on healing those wounds for some time, but ultimately we grow stronger and more resilient—our roots grow deeper, our bark hardens a little, and the next storm is easier to face.
When faced with hardships, we have the choice to heal and re-balance ourselves.
I’d like to encourage you to spend a little time reflecting on how you’re feeling in your different energy sectors:
Physical: How does your body feel? Any aches or pains? Have you been exercising enough? How’s your diet?
Cognitive: How are you mentally? Getting enough intellectual stimulation? How is your mindset?
Emotional: What emotions are prominent within you? Do you feel in control of your emotions, or do you feel they control you sometimes? Are these feelings positive or negative?
Social: Are you socializing enough with people you care about? When’s the last time you had a good conversation or a hearty laugh with someone? Where do you place yourself within your community?
Spiritual: How’s your spirit? Do you feel like you’re in touch with your higher self? Could you do with a little quiet meditation or some quiet time to let your thoughts unwind? If prayer is your thing—when was the last time you tapped in?
It might help you to draw a chart similar to the below, and think about where you’re landing in each category.
Ram Dass said, “We are all walking each other home.” I see each of my newsletters as a chance to walk with you if only for a few minutes each week. So, to end our little walk today, I want to leave you with some tips and reminders about how you can nourish your energies.
Physical
Move your body: Exercise, stretch, dance… walk, run, hike, swim… whatever kind of activity you find enjoyable, make sure you do it. Like the trees that have weathered many storms, movement makes our inner and outer branches stronger too.
Nourish your body: Stay hydrated. Listen to your body. Check that you’re getting a balance of nutrition in your meals. Whole foods are always better than processed.
Prioritize sleep: Sleep is sacred. Create a nighttime routine that helps you settle down and get into a restful, sleepy state. Avoid alcohol, and don’t take caffeine later in the day.
Cognitive
Challenge your mind: Learn a new skill, read books on diverse topics, or work on puzzles. Engage in activities that stimulate your brain and keep you mentally sharp. Be careful of too much scrolling, especially at night as it may hinder your ability to get into a restful state for sleep.
Take breaks: Avoid mental overload by taking regular breaks throughout the day. Go for a walk, practice mindfulness exercises, or simply step away from your work for a few minutes. Don’t forget to take longer breaks too—book a holiday and get out of your normal routines for several days or a bit longer to give your brain a chance to unplug and unwind. You’ll come back mentally stronger, I promise.
Prioritize focus: Dedicate specific times for focused work. Minimize distractions. Create a workspace that supports concentration. Avoid multitasking. Ruthlessly prioritize your to-do list—de-prioritize things that can wait.
Emotional
Acknowledge your emotions: Don't suppress your feelings. Allow yourself to experience emotions healthily and express them in constructive ways.
Practice self-care: Engage in activities that help you relax and de-stress. Take a warm bath, listen to music, or spend time in nature. Love yourself.
Build healthy relationships: Surround yourself with supportive and understanding people. Share your feelings with them and ask for help when needed. Be careful of people who drain you or thrive on misery—don’t forget misery loves company, so watch your back.
Social
Connect with others: Spend time with loved ones, join clubs or groups, and build meaningful relationships.
Set boundaries: Don’t go overboard with social activities—saying No is OK. Don’t commit to things that might drain you. Your energy is precious. Dole it out on your terms.
Develop healthy communication habits: Practice active listening, express yourself clearly, and resolve conflicts constructively. Spend some time studying healthy and effective communication habits, too—every leader I know has to invest time in the art of communication. Good communication is a skill that requires work.
Spiritual
Connect with something bigger than yourself: Spend time in nature, practice meditation or prayer, or engage in activities that connect you to your values and beliefs.
Express your gratitude: Cultivate an attitude of thankfulness for the good things in your life. Keep a gratitude journal, or take a moment each day to recount some things you are grateful for—you can do this in the shower, before you go to sleep, you can say it to your cat or dog, whatever works for you!
Find meaning and purpose: Reflect on your values and goals. Engage in activities that bring you a sense of purpose and fulfillment. If you’re not sure what your purpose is, keep exploring—commit to expanding your mind, being curious, trying new things until you find what resonates with you.
Remember, balance is a dynamic process, not a fixed state.
Experiment with different practices and find what helps you feel energized and fulfilled in all aspects of your life.
One more thing: Be careful of energy vampires or activities that drain you.
Sometimes we say yes or commit to things that our hearts aren’t really all that into.
Of course, sometimes we have obligations we can’t get out of—and those obligations might involve activities that are draining. For those cases, just try to see the silver lining… think of the experience as an education or training that will make you more resilient. Look for things that you can take away as little gains or rewards from the experience. Worst case, just remind yourself that “this too shall pass.”
But where possible, limit your exposure to people or activities that drain you. You deserve better. Your energy is precious. Spend it wisely.
If you’ve read this far, thank you. I really appreciate you being here with me.
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