In these unusual times, every one of us, no matter what our position in life, has had the rhythms and routines of life altered. It has been sobering for me to realize how much I have taken these rhythms for granted. And not just the practical ones like, grocery shopping. More so, I have understood how the rhythms that sustain my emotional and mental health have been changed and the effect this has had on me. The simple act of reading in a café or browsing leisurely through the shelves at my local library is unavailable right now and it is making me feel a little off. These activities are some of my “favourite things” and more importantly, some of the ways that I recharge.
Which has me thinking that it is necessary for me to have a clear understanding of the things that energize me and keep a look out for reasonable facsimiles when, for unknown reasons, the regular ones are paused. One of the things that I have noticed in my coaching is that there are many people who cannot easily identify the things that energize them. I’m not talking about the things that one gives energy too. Those things deplete rather than give energy. No, I am thinking about the kind of things that, when doing them, you feel a surge of well-being. Often these activities can seem rather innocuous, which is probably why I can end up taking them for granted or not seeing them for what they are.
In this strange season, I would invite you to spend a bit of time in the important exercise of identifying the things that energize you and then review your calendar to see how often you are engaging in them. It might be challenging to practice some of them now but who knows, you just might find something new that can act as a suitable replacement.
Onward….
Larry Thiessen
Bonvia Consulting Group Inc.