I received an email from a good friend of mine earlier this week. She was letting her colleagues and friends know that her laptop was being serviced and therefore she was only available at her alternate email address. “It’s at full capacity,” she said, and saw it as a metaphor for her life at full capacity.
How are you feeling? Are you at full capacity?
Isn’t it interesting how we take steps to protect our computers and other electronic devices, but we don’t take care to protect our human minds? When was the last time you took a deep breath, realized you were functioning at full capacity and gave yourself a break? If you are like I used to be, you push through the fatigue. You believe you “have to” work harder, and harder, and be better than someone else.
Think about your phone. When the battery runs down, you need to re-charge it. Same with your laptop. But, you don’t stop to re-charge your own ‘battery’ by calming your mind. Are you doing what I used to do and reaching for some caffeine or sugar? My afternoon snack used to be a diet coke and peppermint patty. Every day! I tricked myself by thinking that as long as the snack was “fat free,” it was OK. I’d sit at my desk, get my “fix” and continue to work. The thought of “taking a break” was so foreign to me. The work culture included eating lunch at my desk, so stepping away for a few minutes to refresh and renew, leaving work undone, was not acceptable.
Yet, I knew in my mind that’s what I needed, to step away. Studies have shown that short walks (10-15 minutes) and power naps (15-20 minutes) actually increase productivity. So often we hear or read about what is “good” for us, but we don’t take the action. A colleague of mine came up to me after a recent meeting and said, “Jodi, people know what to do to lose weight, they just don’t do it. Knowledge isn’t everything.”
Hmmm. Once he said this to me, I had to take a deep breath. I’ve always heard, “knowledge is power,” but now I realize that knowledge is powerless without action. You know what to do to take care of yourself: eat lots of fruits and vegetables, get 7-8 hours of sleep get 7-8 hours of sleep, eliminate processed foods from your diet, engage in physical activity on a regular basis…this list could go on. What actions are you taking – to nourish your body, mind and spirit – to refresh when you are at full capacity?
When I was working at an office, I relied on other people’s actions to determine my own. If someone else stayed later than I did the previous evening, I would tell myself I “shouldn’t” be tired if my colleague wasn’t tired. I didn’t allow myself to acknowledge what I knew my body needed to function at an optimal level. That’s sad. I was doing a disservice to ME! Now I realize I am the only person who knows what my body needs to function at the high level I expect of myself every day. And, I must take the appropriate actions to allow myself to step into the power I know I have within me.
What about you? Are you giving your body what it needs so you can thrive in this busy world?
Next Steps:
- Celebrate your achievements. Make a list of different action steps you’ve taken this year for your wellness and self-care.
- Now, make a list of what you know is good for you, but for which you haven’t taken action.
- Pick one action from Step 2 and create a plan for implementation.
- Take the action! You will feel great!
- Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for the other actions listed in Step 2.
- Are you confused? Not sure where or how to begin? Please contact me at .
Another great post Jodi! Knowledge, when put into practical action, does indeed yield incredible power.
A perfect example:
When The Beet-Eating Heeb educated himself about the meat, dairy and egg industries, he obtained the power to adopt a healthy vegan diet.
Ten years ago, when BEH lacked knowledge, he could not have imagined himself preferring fruits and vegetables more than burgers and milkshakes.