Category: Blog

Do you wake up feeling sluggish most mornings? Have caffeinated beverages become a necessity to help power you through the day?

If this sounds familiar, it’s time to ditch the quick fixes you rely on, and develop an energy management plan. Getting started may seem daunting, but soon you’ll be energized to keep going once you recap the benefits of a happier, healthier and more productive lifestyle.

What is energy management?

Think of your energy as a limited resource, like money in an account. You begin the day with a certain amount to spend. The amount varies from person to person based on factors, such as age, sleep, stress levels, medical conditions and lifestyle.

Activities and interactions withdraw energy from or deposit energy into your account. While you may not always have control over activities that deplete your energy, you can take steps to deposit more energy into your account.

Follow these seven tips to increase your energy and live a happier, healthier, more productive life:

1. Eat nourishing food.

A well-balanced, healthy diet is at the core of well-being. But it’s common to regard healthy eating primarily as a tool for weight loss. According to the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy and whole grains is needed for optimal energy. You really are what you eat.

Consume a variety of foods from all the food groups to get a range of nutrients to provide energy throughout the day. Opt for fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, especially nutrient-dense dark, leafy greens and broccoli, as well as orange vegetables, like carrots and sweet potatoes. You can choose from many types of fish and legumes to choose from for healthy protein options. Aim to eat 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, rice or pasta daily.

2. Sleep seven to eight hours per night.

Prioritizing sleep is one of the best things you can do to set yourself up for a successful, energized day. Sleep deprivation can perpetuate serious health conditions, as well as negatively affect your mood, motivation and energy levels. Getting quality sleep is a healthy habit many people need to improve. Most adults need at least seven to eight hours of shut-eye each night, so what prevents them from getting it?

Observe your sleep patterns if you struggle with sleep. Take note of how much you sleep each night, factors that contribute to your sleep or lack of it, how rested you feel, and how much energy you have during your day. Then try sleep strategies to improve your sleep, like creating a relaxing and restful environment, minimizing light and noise, establishing a bedtime routine, managing stress, and turning off electronic devices.

Whatever you decide to start with, be consistent. Utilizing the same sleep routine and sleep strategies will help develop your body’s internal alarm clock and can lead to improved sleep quality. With improved sleep quality, people experience better health, and improved emotional well-being, lower risk of diseases, and are more productive.

3. Keep company with good people.

Maximize the amount of time that you spend with people you enjoy being around. Connecting with others who radiate positivity and have similar interests will excite and energize you.

On the other side, people you don’t relate to or who have negative outlooks, complain often, or make poor choices will only drain your energy account. Be selective about the company you keep.

It’s important to set limits and boundaries to protect yourself and conserve your energy when around people who do not refill your energy reserves.

4. Avoid news overdose.

Consuming news is an important way to stay connected to what’s happening in the world. It can be educational, entertaining and even uplifting.

Unfortunately, the news too frequently is filled with stories of suffering. These stories can skew your view of the world and cause you to focus on your worst fears instead of recognizing the good that surrounds you.

You can’t avoid these stories altogether, but try to minimize your exposure when you can, especially during trying times.

5. Get regular exercise.

Do you find yourself feeling lethargic halfway through the day? Have you ever gotten winded by simple everyday duties, such as grocery shopping or household chores? The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. Contrary to what you might believe, this will add to your energy account and not subtract from it.

Exercise relieves stress and tension, strengthens muscles and boosts endurance, and helps your body work more efficiently during other physical tasks or activities.

6. Do something meaningful each day.

What do you feel passionate about? Do you have a special talent that you’d like to practice more often or share with others? Do something you enjoy every day, even if it’s a simple act like cooking a healthy meal or listening to your favorite song. Putting effort into the things that matter most to you will help you use and reserve your energy in ways that will bring out the best in you.

7. Think good thoughts for others.

Maintaining a compassionate mindset is another way to conserve energy. One example of practicing this way of thinking is called kind attention. For example, try to make eye contact with a stranger and smile, while thinking “I wish you well.” This positive act can, instead, keep you from judging that person. Judging others can cause us to place judgment on ourselves, and that type of negative internal dialogue can be exhausting.

You’ll feel better with each step you take toward this important self-care investment.

Here are a few simple activities that will help you become more mindful of caring for yourself:

• Monitor your energy.
  Take your energy “temperature” at various points throughout the day, assigning it a number from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest energy level. Pay attention to the details of your day so you can identify the people or events that impact you the most.
• Make incremental changes.
  Once you are aware of some of the people or events that sabotage your energy, consider your next steps. Rather than tackling everything at once, choose an area that is important to you, and be realistic with the goals you set. For instance, if disorganization in your home is a big source of daily stress, pick one cabinet, closet or drawer to clear out each week instead of overwhelming yourself with doing it all at once. Then move on to your next goal when you feel ready.
• Plan and prioritize.
  Take note of the times during the day when your energy levels tend to be the highest. Decide how you can take advantage of those moments by prioritizing important tasks when you are feeling fresh and productive.

Source: mayoclinichealthsystem.org ~ By: Jolene Hanson ~ Image: Canva Pro

You can make your life happier. It is a matter of choice.

You might say it is impossible, since you have so many problems, and therefore, you just cannot be happy.

You are wrong. You can be happy even in difficult times and when surrounded by problems. Happiness comes from within and does not depend on circumstances.

Events and circumstances can surely affect how you feel. If you let them. The secret is in not letting them affect your mood and state of mind. This might be not easy, but if you are determined to bring happiness into your life you can do it.

• • • It is your attitude that makes you feel happy or unhappy.
    • It is your habitual thinking that determines whether you are happy or unhappy.
    • It depends on how much you let events affect how you feel.
    • It depends on how much you allow people’s words and actions affect you.
    • It depends on how you much inner peace you can produce.

We meet all kinds situations every day, and some of them may not contribute to happiness. However, we can choose to keep thinking about the unhappy events, and we can choose to refuse to think about them, and instead, think about and relish the happy moments.

All of us go through difficult or unpleasant situations and circumstances, but we do not have to let them influence our reactions and feelings.

If we let outer events influence our moods, we become their slaves. We lose our freedom. We let our happiness be determined by outer forces.

On the other hand, we can free ourselves from outer influences. We can choose to be happy, and we can add a lot to add happiness to our life.

What Is Happiness?

It is a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction. It is usually experienced, when there are no worries, fears or obsessing thoughts. This usually happens, when we do something we love to do, or when we get, win, gain, or achieve something that we value.

It seems to be the outcome of positive events, but it actually comes from the inside, though often, triggered by external events.

For most people, happiness seems fleeting and temporary, because they allow external circumstances to affect it. One of the best ways to keep it, is by gaining inner peace through daily meditation. As the mind becomes more peaceful, it becomes easier to choose the happiness habit.

Tips for Happiness in Daily Life

I would like to suggest a few tips to help you allow more happiness fill your life. These are simple tips you can easily follow. You don’t have to follow all of them at once. Take a few, implement them into your life, and then follow some more. You don’t need to follow them in the same order you find below. You can start with the ones that you like more.

1) Change the way you look at life

Strive to change the way you look at life. Try to be more positive and optimistic and look at the bright side of life.

Your mind might drag you to think about negativity and difficulties. Don’t let it. Every time you catch yourself trapped in negative thinking, stop, and look at the good and positive side of every situation.

2) Look for solutions

Think about solutions, not about problems. It is so easy to be caught on thinking on the problems and closing your mind, so you cannot see a solution.

You should avoid this situation. You should focus on finding solutions. If you adopt this habit of thinking you will find a solution and a way out.

3) Listen to relaxing or uplifting music

Music has an uplifting effect on the mind, emotions, and body, and can increase the sense of happiness.

4) Watch funny comedies that make you laugh

Comedies and sitcoms can make you forget your problems and uplift your feelings.

I don’t suggest that you sit and watch TV or movies all day. This is not a good idea. The goal is not to escape, but to uplift your spirit. A small dose once in a while can you do good.

5) Reading

Each day, devote some time to reading a few pages of an inspiring book or article. This will not only add to your knowledge, but also help you see life from a broader viewpoint.

6) Watch your thoughts

Pay attention to your thoughts. What kind of thoughts do you think? If they are depressing, negative and unhappy thoughts, do your best to move your mind to other happier matters.

Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, start thinking of pleasant things. Your mind would probably resist your efforts, but you have to keep focusing on good and happy thoughts.

7) Always look at what you have done and not at what you haven’t.

Sometimes, you begin the day with the desire to accomplish several objectives. At the end of the day, you might feel frustrated and unhappy, because you haven’t been able to do all of those things.

Often, plans take more time than expected. There is no need to be angry or unhappy about this. Looking at what you have already accomplished would make you feel better.

Look at what you have done, not at what you have not been able to do. Often, even if you have accomplished a lot during the day, you let yourself feel frustrated, because of some minor tasks you didn’t accomplish.

Sometimes, you spend all day successfully carrying out many plans, but instead of feeling happy and satisfied, you look at what was not accomplished and feel unhappy. You should avoid doing this.

8) Each day do something good for yourself.

This can be something small, such as buying a book, eating something you love, watching your favorite program on TV, going to a movie, or just having a stroll on the beach.

9) Each day do at least one act to make others happy.

This can be a kind word, helping your colleagues, stopping your car at the crossroad to let people cross, giving your seat in a bus to someone else, or giving a small present to someone you love. The possibilities are infinite.

When you make someone happy, you become happy.

10) Always expect happiness.

Develop the habit of expecting happiness. Cherish the idea that you deserve it and that it is within your reach.

11) Do not envy people who are happy.

Envy is a bad idea that keeps joy away. Try to rejoice with them and participate in their happiness.

12) Associate with happy people

Happiness is contagious, therefore, it would be a good idea to associate with happy people and seek their friendship.

13) Do not take things personally

Do your best to stay detached, when things do not proceed as intended and when someone criticizes you.

Detachment will help you stay calm and control your moods and reactions. Detachment is not indifference. It is the acceptance of the good and the bad and staying balanced. Detachment has much to do with inner peace, and inner peace is conducive to happiness.

14) Smile more often

Smiling has a great effect on how you feel. Smiling make people like you more, and this leads to a more positive state of mind.

15) Learn to calm down your mind

When the mind is calm there is inner peace, and when there is inner peace, happiness arises from within you. The mind is in a constant state of restless thinking, like a stormy ocean on a windy day. When you calm down the waves of your mind, peace and happiness fill your life.

Source: successconsciousness.com ~ By Remez Sasson ~ Image: Cava Pro