Since going vegan and gluten-free and making some serious adjustments to my life, I am proud to say I am one of the most energetic people I know. People are always asking me how I have so much energy even during an early morning work shift. I tell them about my vegan diet and self-love practicing ways, but even the best of us can have our energies depleted by hard work-weeks, confrontations, stress, illness, and even loved ones. The past few weeks have been challenging and my energy and spirit took some hard hits. I felt totally out of sorts with my body, my mind, my surroundings, and the people I love.
If my body and mind are not rested and well balanced, I simply cannot be even a fraction of my true self. I decided to make a few immediate changes, and after success in only a few days, here is my quick guide to restoring your energy!
Sunbathing in the park with my coconut water
Stop forcing yourself to do social activities you don’t want to do.
Even as an adult woman, I still struggle with this. I am a people pleaser, and after going out and being around energies that don’t always mesh well with mine too many times, I become exhausted, unable to focus, and almost jittery. Even after more than 8 hours of sleep I do not feel rested, and my spirit is deflated.
Be open and honest with your friends and peers.
Even though it sounds simple, a lot of us rarely share our true feelings. If you don’t feel like attending a particular event, or partaking in certain activities just assert yourself! You will be surprised at how easy this is, and how your true friends won’t judge you for it. I started expressing to my friends my preferred method of spending time with them, and since then they have gotten to know me even better, and have started respecting a part of me they never would have understood before. Sharing a kombucha with a good friend at your favorite park does wonders, it doesn’t always have to be about “going out” or making an appearance at that special party.
Get exercise outdoors.
Since the past few weeks have been so work centered, I did not make time to do my usual trail running during the week. The more I started putting off working out, the worse I felt. The day I started taking just 20 minutes a day to walk around my neighborhood and sit in the park, I started feeling immensely better. Fitting in your workout doesn’t always have to be an intense training session, just coming in contact with some green and fresh air is enough to reset your system.
Embrace your home environment and show it some love and care.
Sometimes when we are super busy, the dishes start piling up in the sink, your yoga mat is left unrolled and waiting for your attention in the middle of your living room, you have an overflowing laundry basket, your inbox is now a jumble of spam and vital contacts, and texts are left forgotten and unanswered. Whether we want to believe it or not, all of these things become subconsciously piled up in our mental to do list. Even visually, a disorganized, messy home can actually make you more-stressed out after a long day at work. I took some time cleaning, and just adding some loving touches to my home, and it made a world of a difference to my personal well being. I bought a salt lamp, invested in some natural candles, cleaned negative energies out of my home by smudging sage on the daily, and taking care of dishes/laundry immediately rather than leaving them to gather negative energy. I even started gathering flowers on my walks to display around my home, adding a loving touch here and there.
Give thanks on the daily.
The past few weeks I found myself wanting to escape my work, my apartment, thinking there was something way better out there. But when I sat down to write a list of all the good things in my life, I realized there was not much to complain about. It was like a mental light switch turned on, and I started truly feeling grateful for the roof over my head, and being able to live a certain lifestyle not granted to many in this modern day and age. In doing so my energy was just overall lighter, and I was able to attract more positive energies and people my way. Things are not always going to feel or look “ideal” in our eyes, but they are happening in our lives for a reason!
Nourish and love your body and self.
I don’t mean just nourishing yourself with the right foods, but with the right attitude and actions as well. Even though I eat a healthy diet, sometimes I am too busy to notice the beauty of the colors on my dish, or the fact I can fortify myself with the vegan foods I want to eat. Since taking the time to set up my meals, and understand eating as a whole experience, my digestion has improved and my overall attitude to eating has changed. Even though I eat a lot of great foods, I live in a city that is becoming more polluted and traffic crazy, so I bought myself a dry brush, started coconut oil pulling every day, and making sure to hydrate my body with coconut water.
Open your mind and body to new things and forget fear!
Even though I consider myself adventurous, there are many times that fear and anxiety stop me from doing so many things. The other day I was hiking with my husband and we were so close to this amazing site, but the sun was setting and nightfall was approaching. My husband assured me it would be fine to keep going but literal fear of the unknown and of nightfall started shifting my mind from a relaxed state to complete panic. It stopped me from experiencing something amazing and beautiful with my partner. Just be more conscious of the fear and doubt that pop up every now and then and stop you from doing all the things you want to do in life, and trust your intuition more. If you are positive and act without fear you will attract only positive experiences and people, but if you allow fear and doubt to cripple your days, then you will attract more of those experiences. Just letting go a little more everyday will make you more confident, and certainly heal your spirit.
How do you like to restore your energy when you’re running on an empty tank?
Related: 7 Ways to Avoid Burnout
7 Inexpensive Ways to Treat Yourself
Also by Irena: Cardamom Amaranth Porridge
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Photo: Irena Stanisic
