The days are getting colder and with low temperatures can also come decreased mental health, immunity, and overall energy levels. No matter what you may be depleted from, here is a ritual, or rather a series of rituals I’ve turned to recently to increase my mindful and physical energy.
One of the obvious reasons I’ve found myself low energy is because my energy is being taken up. I think there is a time and place for us to complete certain tasks and if done balanced, our energy levels can be brought up. We can’t spend all of our time working and we can’t spend it all resting. Finding this balance brings me fulfillment.
But that being said, there are a series of activities I participate in daily that really don’t add any positive value to my life and just suck up time and energy. The most obvious example I can think of is scrolling on our phones. So whenever I’m trying to regain my energy I like to turn my phone off. Another thing I find myself doing all the time is just clicking through songs after listening to them for like 30 seconds. So instead, I’ll play a CD or choose an album and just tell myself that I’m going to be present with the music and listen to songs all the way through. Little moments I take to be more mindful honestly make such a big difference in my overall energy levels.
Funnily enough, at least for me, a lack of productivity leads to my energy levels being drained. Most of it for me comes from wasted time. When I come back after a long day of classes and studying my brain is so checked out that I’ll waste my time doing mindless things instead of trying to recharge and regain my presence.
At least in my own life, when I mindlessly distract myself instead of actively recharging, some negative thought patterns and feelings enter my subconscious and I don’t even realize they are there bringing me down until I give myself the space to confront them.
Mustering that energy to actually go and recharge is sometimes the hardest part. But once I get out and plop myself in an environment designed for peace, I finally have the time to grapple with my negative thoughts and feelings and realize that life is bigger than my problems.
I get so serious thinking about my life, and once I take a step back I realize how silly I am not trying to enjoy more beautiful moments. Most of my life is not innately miserable, I just make it miserable sometimes. But that’s no fun, is it?
Anyway the moral of the story is connecting to life with presence and ease is my favorite way to restore my energy and get back to loving life.
