I first met Steve when I was out on a walk. My husband and I became close friends with him and his wife as we lived close to one another and had kids of a similar age.
I became concerned over the years as I watched him pour so much of his energy into work. His boundary lines seemed to be getting blurry. I would drop by and notice his eyes were often tired, threatening to close if he wasn’t careful. His routine consisted of leaving home to start night shifts when the kids were getting into bed or working extremely long, back to back, sometimes 24 hour shifts.
He wasn’t making the time he wanted to, nor did he have the energy to keep up with his kids or enjoy the depth of relationship he wanted with his wife. He wasn’t making time for friends or the consistent exercise he used to enjoy. Lack of exercise was catching up with him, yet constant fatigue seemed to keep him from making plans. He was stuck in a rut and this often happens due to our mindset. If you want to change or explore yours, you read more about the book Mindset here.
How Steve Boosted His Energy (and you can too)
Finally (his wife told me), he hit the ‘tipping point.’ This is when he realized that unless he made some changes, he wasn’t going to have the energy he wanted to play with his kids, take care of his health and enjoy more time with his wife. He made a decision (which is all you need to do).
He decided that he was no longer willing to settle for feeling irritable, angry, frustrated, over-worked or worn out. He raised his standards. This is when his story gets exciting (from my point of view)!
He stopped saying yes to so much work and rearranged his schedule so he could see more of his family. He talked with his wife about making a weekly date day and then started using that time solely to connect and have fun with his wife. They also talked about how he could fit in more time for exercise. He now books time ahead to take care of his health.
What spurred him to make these decisions was when he asked himself, “What will my life look like 10 years from now if I don’t make a change.” There is always a cost. If you’d like to outline what your ideal like looks like so you can more easily create it, read this.
What Decision Do You Need To Make?
Take a few minutes and jot down these questions. They will provide you with insight into what you’ve been putting up with and why you may not have the energy you’re craving – to play with your kids, to make love, to exercise, to think straight.
What have I been settling for or putting up with?
What am I willing to do in order to make life the way I want it?
Now, what are you waiting for? Take action!
Amy Englemark teaches strategies to Boost Wealth, Health and Happiness to Executives, Business Leaders and Owners. Get Amy’s 3 Step System to Boost your Free Time and Productivity at: www.amyenglemark.com .