Top 5 Tips for Golden Energy

People ask me every day how I get so much done in a day. The key is that I maintain powerful energy in me from the moment I wake up until the moment I fall asleep. This isn’t about being hyped up on caffeine or frantically multi-tasking. It’s about being in the zone, like an experienced quarterback. About doing exactly what needs to be done in the most efficient manner possible.

Here are my top five keys for cultivating that golden energy in your daily life.

HEALTHY FOOD
Absolutely the fuel you put into your body every few hours is key to how your body behaves. If you give your body high sugars, it will then have a low-sugar crash. If you feed it caffeine, the same thing happens. People get so used to these feelings that they come to think of them as normal – but as just about any nutritionist will tell you, it’s just not good for the body.

I strive to provide my body with as healthy a stream of nutrition as I can. I am aware of my fiber, my protein, my vitamins, and I eat small, regular meals. I avoid chemicals and preservatives. To me it’s not just about calories. It’s about the quality of what I take in. After all, my entire body depends on that food – and only that food – for everything it does every day. I also make sure that I love the food I eat. The act of nourishing myself is a delicious, joyful one.

AMPLE WATER
We’ve all heard how critical hydration is. I strive to keep a large glass of water on my desk at all times. I find, if it’s there, that I naturally tend to drink it. Over the years I’ve become much more aware of my body’s water needs. According to the government, the body is 60% water – and the brain is 70% water. That water is critical for quick, intelligent thinking.

JOYFUL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
I want everything I do to be something I love and that fills me with joy. So my physical activities are all things I adore doing. I kayak. I dance with Wii games. I go hiking through woods. I do yoga. I actively look forward to doing these things. Bodies need physical activity to work properly. The lymphatic system ONLY works if the body has regular motion. It’s how your body filters blood and maintains its immune system. If you’re not active, you’re not healthy. The key is to find something that brings you joy while you do it.

SLEEP
Getting ample sleep is absolutely critical to healthy thinking. Low sleep can cause you to be as impaired as if you were drunk. You often don’t realize it – you think you’re “coping”. This is just like a drunk person thinking they’re fine to drive. Luckily, one of the easiest ways to fall asleep quickly is to get ample exercise during the day. So a win-win. I also make sure my bedroom is ideal for sleeping. I have double, heavy shades. I have an air filter with a rumbling noise which provides white noise. I keep the room cool. I journal before I go to sleep, to release any lingering stress. I train myself, if I start to have a troubling thought, to write it down and let it go until tomorrow. I see the thoughts as drifting clouds in my mind, and I let them drift out without keeping my focus on them. I focus just on my breath.

MENTAL TRAINING
Our minds are trained in childhood to get stuck in certain ruts. These ruts can easily be negative or harmful. We assume that things people say to us are meant to hurt. We assume that we are not worthy of love or success. Every person has the ability to change their brain’s tracks. The key is regular practice. This is exactly what meditation and prayer are about. It is not about the “quiet time”, although that is nice too. It is about regular brain training, so that the other 23 hours of the day our brain runs as efficiently and cleanly as possible.

What’s great is that this training can be done anywhere and at any time. If you are laying in bed and not able to fall asleep, you can use that time for your meditation or prayer. If you are in a doctor’s office and have a 15 minute wait, that is a perfect time. You can follow your breath in and out. You can recite a phrase that has meaning to you. You can enumerate your blessings and focus with joy on each one. There are millions of ways to meditate or pray, and each of us connects with a different style. The key is finding a style that connects with you, and to practice daily.

Let me know what other tips you have to cultivate that powerful golden energy which ensures every project has the best possible chance of success!