Energetic Highs and Lows: Why it’s ok to embrace both
We have talked a few times about how not everyone is meant to function on the 9-5 hamster wheel. I want to remind you that it is totally natural and ok if you are realizing you are one of “those people”. I am absolutely one of “those people”. I cannot reinforce to you enough that it is ok to ebb and flow. It is completely natural. Our bodies were literally designed this way – remember the “fight or flight” conversation. We were designed to function at varying levels throughout the day. It is only recently that we have forgotten this and decided it’s natural to chain ourselves to a desk.
Again, not knocking the desk life. I lived the desk life and know plenty of people that are happy living the desk life. So, let’s move back to talking about our energy.
Energetic Highs
You have that burst of excitement, feeling like anything is possible. You might be so excited about the project you are working on, you hop out of bed in the morning, you dream about it falling asleep. You literally feel like you are an energizer bunny! This is amazing, I am so excited for you and will be the first one to support you on this high.
I also want to remind you of your human need to rest and recover following this high. Just like being in flight or fight mode, your body needs to chill and dip back to parasympathetic. It is the same coming off an energetic high. You have been running at peak performance, so excited about what you are doing, but you have maybe forgotten your self care practices. I mentioned this is me when I am on to something big. Sitting down to my computer to work at 7 am, but forgetting to actually take a break at 11 when my energy starts to dip.
Another reminder, it is ok to shift your routine! Why do I think that unless I do my walk, journaling, etc in the morning I cannot do it at all? Who says I can’t do computer work from 7am to 11 am and then have my “morning routine”… literally, no one. It’s all in my head. But let’s not get on a mindset topic that is for another day – haha.
All of this to say, please remember to still care for yourself when you are on your energetic high, and do not beat yourself up if it does not last for the full completion of your project! Maybe you were not meant to complete it, maybe you have opened the door for something bigger and better and this was just a stepping stone. Be open to the possibilities of the ebb and flow.
Energetic Low
I want to point you back to our discussion on Intentional Rest here. If you feel like you are in an energetic low, please please I invite you to take rest. I honour and hold space for you here, because I understand so completely how it feels to be living in an energetic low. When you are “burning the candle at both ends” “running on fumes” “burning the midnight oil”. We have been conditioned to believe that we thrive here, not to burst your bubble, but not all of us do. The energetic low is when we have depleted our resources (ran away from that saber tooth tiger or the attacking cave neighbours) and now need to lay down and recharge. This is so natural. Especially in women’s bodies, as cyclical beings, we function every month on highs and lows in our energy. Ever notice some weeks you feel like you can conquer the world, attend those HIIT classes and still have time to bake muffins. Where some weeks you need to roll out of bed, have an extra coffee, take a slow stroll, check out that Yin yoga. This is completely natural.
We as human beings LOVE routine, more so we love to force ourselves into routine. Not saying that routine is bad, but I have noticed recently that forcing myself into a very strict routine is not sustainable. I might like it for a month, 3 months, half a year… and then I’m over it. Or again – exhausted. This is not the same for everyone, men function on a 24 hour system, so they can have a little different more repetitive routine, but if you have heard me talking about “time blocking” this is my way of having a routine that honours my energetic flow.
Time Blocking for a Flowing Routine
So what do I mean by this? Here is an example:
Week A
6 – 8am get out of bed
8 – 11am morning routine (journal and walk, sit outside with a coffee, read a book in bed, etc)
11am – 3pm work / errands
Week B
7 – 11am work / errands
11am – 1 pm relax, bits of morning routine
1pm – 4pm work
My time blocking has very generic titles because within that time I can honour the activities that I feel my inner being needs. So while I have a more active work centric routine and a more nourishing slow paced routine, I also leave space within those to decide if “work” for that day is computer work, errands, cleaning the house, personal development. To decide if my “morning routine” is more time in bed, or nature, or a combination of both. I have also released the NEED to sit and journal or sit and meditate. This was confining. Trying to fit in time for forced relaxation. I now allow myself walking meditations, having quiet time out in nature or listening to a podcast. Maybe my daily gratitude or journaling is just in my head or voice memos on my phone. To make the practices of recharging sustainable and resonate for your being, release the need to believe that they need to look a certain way. Anyone that tells you “you must do these 5 steps to awaken”, you are “spiritual if you do {this}” is liking bypassing. The most connected “enlightened” version of yourself is the one that resonates most with and is guided by your own intuition and inner being.
Getting back to the point…
I wanted to introduce you to the idea of energetic highs and lows, and again let you know that it is ok to experience both. It is not only ok, it is totally natural.
This is both your invitation, and your permission slip, to explore and / or embrace your energetic ebbs and flows.
Have some questions about how to recognize either / or in your own being? Drop a comment below, or on our recent posts on social regarding these topics and I would be HAPPY to give a little additional insight.
For now, I invite you to let these ideas settle in your body. See how you feel.