Prana Rush

I’ve been thinking a lot about how limited my energy is. And I don’t necessarily mean physical energy, although that definitely plays a part. I mean emotional energy. I have to be very deliberate in deciding where and with whom to place my energy otherwise I experience discomfort and suffering.

Energy is probably one of our most precious resources and one of the most difficult to conserve because there’s no way to quantify it. I know how much time there is available on my calendar, and I know how much money I have in my bank account. Knowing this information helps me to budget these resources. But energy is different, I seem more often to notice how much energy I have available when there isn’t enough. It’s only when I’m overwhelmed or depressed or scared or angry, that I am aware that I don’t have enough left.

So I’ve noticed in the past year, a number of markers that let me know I’m giving away my energy to the wrong things. They are:

1) Frustration – I have less patience for work, family and others. These are the last things I want to do to myself and others when my job and my connections are such important extensions of myself and necessities in my life

2) Forgetting the little things – A task I have to do, some small detail of a friend’s life to ask about

3) Not getting the important things done – work, meetings, practicing a sequence I'll be teaching

4) Irritation

5) Anger

6) Difficulty focusing

On a brighter note, here are positive markers of energy and the methods that have helped me grow my energy reserves

1) Motivation to do more things

2) Laughter

3) Good moods

4) Noticing my good mood, exploring and appreciating what it feels like. I practice this in meditation, feeling what it feels like in my body, during the moments of happiness

5) Kindness and happiness – Can increase the already good mood I’m in by:

While driving, letting another car, go in front of me;

Complimenting someone;

Allow a person to go ahead of you in line

6) Helping people and doing service – could be teaching a class, doing my job or an “extracurricular service”, calling another person to see how they’re doing

7) Creativity and inspiration – stems from doing something creative (ANYTHING) from playing an instrument, journaling, wrapping a present, crafting, dancing, cooking, yoga

8) Allowing myself to be happy over the little things (vs sweating the small stuff). I bought snoopy wrapping paper at the dollar store yesterday and it cheered me up so much. It made me smile, prompted me to talk to other people in the store, who then related about their joy and then we shared a smile. See how that little happiness grew and spread?! And now I have something to look forward to when I wrap my niece and nephew’s Chanukah Presents. Get it? Motivation!!

So these are my thoughts. I’d love to hear your comments and experiences with energy.

Be well, happy holidays and lots of love.

Marcie