It is common sense that energy and vitality are essential for a long and enjoyable life. What's more, it is important for continued personal growth. I'm not talking about growing tall or anything like that. I'm talking about learning new things and gaining experience. You won't think about trekking, trying a new hobby, or learning a new language if you feel that your career and family life are more than enough. You certainly can't think about trying the new Thai place if you almost cry with relief upon reaching your doorstep. Your lack of energy and vitality zaps your chances of improving the quality of your life. What to do? Read on and find out in three easy steps. First, energy and vitality depend on two factors: physical and psychological health. Physical health refers to your over-all physical condition: sickness, weight problems, injuries, etc. Psychological health concerns include mental activity, social interactions, emotional intelligence, and your over-all perception of your self. It is important that these two are in-synch with each other for you to enjoy optimum energy and vitality. Therefore, it is necessary to tailor your activities to accommodate only what you can physically and psychologically handle. Do not accept extra work if you feel and think that you cannot handle it comfortably. Baking cookies for your sister's bake sale and typing up your colleague's last minute-report are not your responsibilities. These activities only consume your energy for things you are interested in. Also, let out pent-up emotions positively. Avoid shouting or other violent behaviors as these would only lower energy levels. What's important is to voice out your feelings. Tell your slacker of a project teammate to pull his weight rather than keeping your annoyance bottled up. This store of negative emotions are harder to control and uses up more energy. Secondly, pay attention to your diet. Eating balanced meals is key; however, there are foods that help increase energy and vitality. Seaweeds replenish sagging energy levels by giving sustenance to hormonal, nervous, and immune systems. Lack of iron, iodine, and potassium in the body also contribute to low vitality. Try to eat servings of green vegetables throughout the day by sneaking it in your sandwich, pastas, salads, and soups. Molasses, cinnamon, chocolate, and ginger also have energy restoring properties. Chinese medicine actually advises to limit intake of cold food because more energy is used up to digest it. Fat is also good as long as it is in its natural form such as Vitamin E in olive oil and avocados. Third, being fit is also important to improve one's energy and vitality. Exercise makes for a stronger body. This translates into reducing energy expenditures in doing your work. Also, exercises drain toxins out which improves your chances against sickness. Yogic exercises also calms and uplifts your spirit. More importantly, moving about stimulates blood circulation which aids the transport of nutrients and oxygen to the body. In conclusion, increasing and improving your energy and vitality are totally within your control. Do not let your responsibilities to other people hinder you from doing your obligations to yourself. Your wellness should be your first priority. |
