Thursday, June 26, 2008

Conserving Energy

We are all challenged these days with finding creative ways to conserve energy. One kind of energy is in the news -- making our gas and electricity bills soar! That's leading us toward more creativity:
- riding bikes to work
- conserving gas by careful planning of errand-running
- turning off lights and only running full loads of dishes or clothes
- discovering creative ways to cut costs at the grocery store
and so much more! But do you stop to think about how quickly the other source of energy may be being depleted? I'm talking about your own personal energy.

Personal energy is fourfold: physical, emotional, spiritual and mental. What do you do each day that creatively and carefully conserves that energy? Review each personal energy area and ask yourself what you are doing to creatively conserve it.

Physical:
- are you getting enough sleep?
- do you exercise, which is a source of energy renewal?
- are you eating in a healthy way?
Emotional:
- are you finding ways to laugh and play every day?
- do you make time for relationships that refuel your emotional tank?
- are you connecting every day with what you most value in life?
Spiritual:
- do you take time to meditate or pray?
- are you keenly aware of each precious moment?
- how does God fit into the picture for you?
- do you take time to connect with others of similar faith for encouragement?
Mental:
- do you stop to shift your thinking on a regular basis and check for judgmental thoughts?
- do you maintain a curious mindset?
- do you give your mind a break by taking a few minutes to relax or do something entirely different in renewal of mental energy?

If you pay attention to your conserving your personal energy, your creativity for addressing other energy matters will increase exponentially! You will find it far easier to brainstorm options if you address personal energy first! Then, come what may ($5.00 or $6.00 a gallon gas, soaring food prices, etc. in the realm of energy), you can stay on top of it.