“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” – Walter Elliot
Week Seven
This exercise is about the information you can glean from your experience of being drained or exhilarated. Are you cycling between boom and bust, going all out until your system is completely drained and then collapsing to recharge? Or, conversely, are you leaving resources untapped and placing too much in reserve.
Sometimes, we are depleted because we put up with, accept, take on, or are dragged down by people and/or situations. These circumstances may be part and parcel of our lives, so much so that we ignore the cumulative impact they have.
1) The following questions focus on the way that your reserves become depleted.
a. What situations do you find yourself in that are highly pressured or last minute, or that you do not want to be involved in at all?
b. What are the specific things about these situations that drain you?
c. What choices of yours lead to your feeling this way?
d. What other choices do you have to eliminate, minimize, or manage these annoyances?
e. What do you personally gain by NOT taking care of your energy?
2) Now the questions switch focus to when your reserves are boosted.
a. List instances when you have observed that you feel refreshed and like you can tackle anything.
b. What specific things about these circumstances lead to these feelings of engagement?
c. For each instance, identify practical steps to incorporate it into your life and actively contribute to your well-being.
d. What are the benefits to you of being in adequate reserve?
Considering these questions brings insight into some of the motivations behind how you take care of yourself. Sometimes, we have other goals that appear to be in juxtaposition. Once you have identified them, figure out what you can do to make progress on both of them rather than one at the expense of the other. This exercise also brings greater understanding of what causes us depletion and restoration which can inform our future choices.