Take a moment to rate your typical energy level during the last few weeks or months on a scale of 1 to 7—with 7 being extremely energetic.
If you are a 1, you are frequently sick, lethargic and depressed. You may even be suicidal. An energy level of 1 can be caused by substance abuse, such as alcohol or drugs. Or perhaps you are recovering from a serious illness, or going through a life crisis, such as a death in the family or a divorce.
Your energy level could also be low because you are juggling too many demands—such as a job, a family and social obligations—or the demands are especially difficult because they are not compatible with your comfort zone.
If you are a 2, you are easily fatigued, unfocused, overwhelmed, inactive, illness prone and have difficulty completing projects.
If you are a 3, you have sufficient energy, easily diverted, do limited exercise, sometimes are ill and have average productivity.
If you are a 4, you have moderate energy, average health, normal fitness activities, productive with diversions and a sense of well-being.
If you are a 5, you have plenty of energy, strong, healthy, rarely exhausted, enjoyer of exercise, productive all day long, and resilient.
If you are a 6, you have endless energy, competent to handle myriad projects at once, hard driver, in need of lots of stimuli and a frequent exerciser.
If you are a 7, you have extraordinary energy, overpowering, tireless, dynamo, never ill, never still and constantly restless.
Most people fall somewhere in the middle between 1 and 7. If you have moderate energy and would rate yourself about 4 on the energy scale, you usually have sufficient amounts of energy to carry on a productive life. You may get sick occasionally, but not all that frequently. You may get frazzled after a hard day of work, but nothing too extreme. In general, you have a sense of well-being and a feeling that you can handle the tasks at hand.
If you rank yourself in the 1 or 2 category for energy, do something quickly! Otherwise, you may find yourself in danger of a serious illness, accident, or some other unfortunate circumstance. If you don’t resolve your energy drain, consciously, your body and mind will do it for you. It will unconsciously booby-trap your plans and force you to make much-needed changes.
Feeling tired, depressed and barely able to function are all indicators that your deepest needs are not being met in life. It could be that your body is crying out for a better diet, more regular exercise, or increased exposure to natural sunlight. It could be that you are worrying too much, or that your life is not compatible with your true inner self.
So what can you do? Here are some steps to take that can make a big difference.
Observe how, when and where your energy is being sapped.
For example, do you feel your energy level dropping near the “empty” mark when you are at work, interacting with a certain family member or friend, or participating in one of your social activities? Do you need to eat healthier foods, lose some weight, stop smoking or exercise more?
By just watching yourself for a while, without judging yourself or beating yourself up about your behavior or reactions, you can collect a wealth of information about what types of situations are “pushing your buttons.”
What areas of your life are draining your energy? Where can you cut back?
Start taking small, steady steps toward increasing your energy level. Learning to distinguish between important needs and more whimsical “wants” means you can eliminate wasting time and energy. Some simple lifestyle changes—such as improving your diet or taking a walk every night after dinner—may help you recover some of your lost energy. Structure silent time into your daily routine, it will give you additional energy. You are the only one who can give yourself the gift of time.
When you manage your energy, it frees you to attend to the priorities in your life. You learn when your mind is sharpest and guard yourself from tiresome people and situations. The aim is to create balance between work and relaxation so that you can take care of business, but also take care of your soul.
Other changes are more complex. You may decide you want to find another job—one that isn’t such an energy drain—or end a romantic relationship because the differences are consistently uncomfortable.
Start with some goals that you are sure you can reach. Build your confidence then gradually take on more and more difficult changes.
You have very little control over most of the events that come your way during the day, but you do have tremendous control over your own thoughts and attitudes.
Make a commitment to yourself to weed out those harmful, negative thoughts that hold you back and drag you down, and make room for supportive, uplifting, encouraging thoughts that will boost your energy level.
You simply cannot afford to waste any of your precious energy reserves. You have got to conserve them and spend them wisely, so you will have the inner resources you need to be a successful, happy and fulfilled individual.
One easy and effective way to reduce stress and increase your energy level is by making time, every day for deep breathing. Breath is your next topic.
Breath
You breathe more than 14,000 times every single day. Yet, I imagine, your breath is something you rarely devote any attention to. Your breath is one of the most powerful ways to connect virtually with every other aspect of your being. The more you become aware of your breath, the more you will understand the profound effects that breathing has on your consciousness.
•People in India have understood the importance of breath for thousands of years. Prana is a term used to describe the body’s vital “airs” or energies. It literally means “breath,” but it’s really much more than just the process of inhaling and exhaling. According to ancient Indian philosophy, Prana is the principle of vitality and the subtlest form of biological energy which helps a person in breathing, distribution of food in the body and digestion.
•Hindus believe that Prana energy is present in every mental and physical event, and it flows directly from spirit or pure awareness. It brings intelligence and consciousness to every aspect of life. Balanced Prana leads to mental alertness as well as sound sleep, a responsive nervous system, and balanced bodily rhythms such as hunger, thirst, sleep, digestion, elimination and so on. Balanced Prana also imparts enthusiasm, a sense of exhilaration and spiritual realization. Many cultural traditions identify this vital force. The Chinese tradition calls it Chi. You can also find it in the teachings of the Sufis, mystic Christians and ancient Egyptians.
•The body’s main source of Prana is through the breath, which brings oxygen into the body. On a more subtle level, Prana also brings us life energy. The quality of a person’s life, according to the ancient sages, was reflected in the quality of breathing.
Now let’s think about the quality of your breath. How would you describe the quality of your breathing? Are you a shallow breather? Perhaps you even hold your breath at times, as someone who’d rather be unheard and unseen? Or is your breath deep and regular? Do you sigh frequently? Perhaps you do, but aren’t aware of it. Do you yawn a lot? Yawning and sighing are both signs that your body needs more oxygen. So if you find yourself doing either of these things, you may be a shallow breather.
Let’s do a quick review of the anatomy and physiology of breathing. Oxygen comes into the body through the nose or mouth, enters the throat, then goes down through the trachea or windpipe and into the bronchi. The bronchi keep subdividing until they end in tiny air sacs filled with small blood vessels, or capillaries. Gases from the air in the air sacs are exchanged with gases in the capillary blood vessels. The oxygenated blood is then transported to the heart