When Your Get Up and Go Got Up and Went

Overloaded...burned out…. fried! We've all been in this state too often. Juggling a lot of projects can be exhilarating. And having a jam-packed calendar may suggest a full life. But when we lose sight of our real priorities and forget the importance of TLC for our Selves, we step into an insidious downward spiral-losing energy at a fast clip. If we don't take time to re-vitalize, it gets even harder to focus, creativity wanes and charisma dulls...splat! Welcome to the bottom of the well.

Wouldn't it be nice if we had an internal battery charger, like so many of our electronic devices that would beep us with the warning, "Battery low...10% capacity remaining to shut down?" Then like the Energizer Bunny, we could just stop in mid-stride, put in a new battery, and off we go!

Surprise! Surprise! We do. Our bodies act as giant tuning forks sending us constant vibratory updates on our changing energy level. When our bodies are fully charged, we feel good...on top of the world. At these times, if we are very still, it's possible to feel an inner molecular dance, like micro-shaking, coursing through our veins and leaping across nerve synapses. On the other hand, when we are heading towards overload, our body downshifts sending distress signals. For one person, it may be stomach aches, for another a gravelly voice. While yet another gets migraines and someone else trips and falls.

The trick is to be in touch with our bodies, not lost in our heads. But how do we do this when our lives are moving so fast? It may be as simple as checking your breathing throughout the day. Most of us have become shallow breathers. Rushing to say everything as fast as we can, we tend to hold our breath. Studies have shown that shallow breathing causes your body to react as if it is in a constant state of stress, which robs us of vital Prana, the Hindu phrase for life force.

All of us need to take mini-breaks every 40-50 minutes to give our internal circuitry time to shut down and recharge. Depending on the nature of your schedule, you can take short naps to renew. Or, close your door and turn inward to find your center. As little as 10 minutes of stillness three times a day can give you the energy boost you need.

When you find yourself under the gun and needing a quick energy hit, create an imaginary medicine pouch filled with symbolic touchstones or a special rescue remedy. This instantly puts you back in touch with your body and back into center. Once there, you can recharge on the spot. When the going gets rough for me, I call forth my mental touchstones--a beloved mentor or guru, a sacred place, or a favorite experience-Whatever works as your personal amulet, call it forth.

The key is to set time aside on a routine basis and to make it a priority. Yes, literally put on your calendar time each day that's just for you. Most importantly, take the time to discover what re-charges you. For some, like me, being in nature refreshes me and brings me back to center. When I can't get outdoors, I move to trance-inducing music and meditation. And weekly, I give myself a gift of an energy reviving massage. For others, immersing themselves in symbolic art-making or curling up before a fire keeps them in check. The litmus test is to ask yourself these diagnostic questions, "Did I take time for myself today? Did I schedule time for something I love to do?"

And lastly, when all else fails, remember this failsafe mantra,

"Don't DWINDLE, REKINDLE!"

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