Have you ever woken up one day and realized that panic mode and pure exhaustion have become your default settings? If you’ve ever Googled, “How to protect your energy” and “Tired of being tired” and “How to set boundaries” … then you are not alone.

I’ve been there, so I understand how hard it can be to feel hopeful. The good news is, you don’t have to stay in that drained, depleted place.

Learn How to Protect Your Energy (For Real)

You can make changes. You can choose to take care of yourself, to honor what poet Mary Oliver calls “your one wild and precious life”.

Last week I was so fired up after recording another edition of our You Need to Read video series that I spontaneously made a video for you.

Those are the kinds of fun things that happen when you have more energy.

In this 9 minute video, I share three unconventional ways to honor and increase your own energy (outlined below).

Bonus: Bootsie the cat makes an unplanned cameo appearance. You can also hear the clanking of Jonathan’s dishes going into the sink in the background. Good times!

Three Unconventional Tips to Protect Your Energy

1. Be mindful of your language … because untruths weaken you. Also discover which three phrases I call the “unholy trinity” of energy drainers.
2. Test-drive your day … because if you’re anything like me, you probably have some unrealistic self-expectations!
3. Build in buffers … because rushing around and creating adrenaline spikes are not helpful. Plus, learn a very practical formula for ensuring that you don’t need to feel frantic.

PS – If you liked this video, check out the Protect Your Energy course page that launched last week.

Protect Your Energy: Stop Draining and Start Living is a four-week course that I’m co-leading with my close friend, Brooke Adams Law. Both of us are creatives who have dealt with long-term illness exacerbated by stress and perfectionism.

Together, we will teach you to change the thoughts that keep you stuck in overwork, busyness, and frantic activity. Registration is now open!

You can also sign up for the course email list and receive our free series, 10 Days to Boost Your Energy. (This video went out as a bonus for that email list yesterday.)

Additional resources mentioned in the video:

• Martha Beck‘s writing (her books are all amazing)
• Byron Katie’s The Work
• Anna Kunnecke’s free offering at Declare Dominion
• Laura Vanderkam‘s work on time tracking
• Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism

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How have you learned to protect your own energy? Share your best tips and join the conversation in the comments below!

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Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional of any kind, and these suggestions are no substitute for professional medical care. I’m just sharing what has worked for me.