As I prepared to get on the trampoline today, my coach predicted we would see a lightness in my bounce, now that I was free and unencumbered.
I warned him that I wasn’t yet feeling light and free; that I had spent the night unable to breathe as I processed the grief.
I stood on the trampoline, took a breath to focus, and then something interesting happened: I bounced higher than I have in as long as I could remember.
My tired legs — I’m currently staying in a 5th floor walk-up — got better result with less effort. I had so much momentum from a back drop that I instinctively did a cradle out of it — a skill that’s given me trouble lately.
Freeing Up Energy
The body doesn’t lie. Despite my feeling of heaviness, it turns out my body had more energy available.
More energy available means that I can accomplish more with less effort.
This doesn’t apply only to physical pursuits. For over a year, I’ve felt stuck in launching a program and expanding my business. The most simple acts have proven challenging.
Just do this isn’t always as simple as it sounds.
Despite suggestions otherwise, there was nothing wrong with me.
Nor was I unclear about my vision or lacking in strategies.
What I lacked was sufficient energetic resources. My spine was locked in a rigid defensiveness, protecting my nervous system from external threats. I’ve been locked in permanent fight or flight mode.
In survival mode, the body focuses on protecting itself. All available energy goes to that task. I had no excess energy available to me.
When something in your life is all-consuming of your energetic resources, you will not have those resources available for other projects.
Energy Drains and Leaks
Certain life events can be all-consuming of our energy: personal or family health issues, a move, a big loss, a new baby, divorce, planning a big event, navigating through a huge life change.
Even if you’re not navigating a big life change, you may be “leaking” energy in many small places. I call these “energy leaks.” They prevent you from harnessing your available energy to focus in a specific direction.
Whether it’s a big drain or several leaks, when you don’t have all of your potential energy available to you then you won’t be able to direct it to the things that matter, like building strength in your body or building your business.
Where to Begin
If you’re constantly feeling like you’re not maximizing your potential, the first question to ask is:
What is draining my energy?
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