How to protect your introvert and highly sensitive energy

Your energy is precious!

It's said that time is the most important resource in our lives, and it's true... But how can we make this time qualitative?

With good energy!

You need this sacred fire to make the most of your days, to perform in the things that matter and to feel good, proud and radiant!

Alas, we can quickly see this energy drained and emptied by :

• A gloomy environment (especially for empaths, who are "sponges")

• Unfulfilling activities and time-consuming tasks

• People you can't protect yourself from

• Hypersensitivity and/or introversion that's hard to channel

• All alone with ruminations and mental load

For this last newsletter of February, and to help you in the home stretch of winter... in addition to this challenging context, I'm going to share with you some tips for protecting and recharging your energy.

This theme also came up a lot with my consulting clients and during my Dragon Flow immersions: stopping exhaustion and better managing energy "yo-yos".

It's a really important skill for the rest of your life:

• Protecting you

• Recharge your batteries

• Gaining strength and resilience without burning out

The last newsletter talked about getting organized without getting worn out, this one is going to tackle your most important life asset: Your energy!

As the saying goes:

"Don't Kill My Vibe!" We're not going to let anyone kill your good energy, especially not yourselves ;)

🔋How to really protect and recharge your energy

You're probably familiar with this kind of situation:

• Finding yourself exhausted after having done too much

• Feeling like you're giving too much and not receiving any thing

• Unburden yourself after too many social interactions (wink to introverts)

• Feeling as if a crowd or too much agitation is sucking the vitality out of you.

• Feel like a sponge absorbing other people's energy

• The inability to take a break or go on "vacation" without feeling guilty about not working

• The brain that never stops

Between you and me, it's been my ordeal too, and it sometimes comes back! It drains your energy, you feel drained, and you find yourself spending hours or days trying, as best you can, to recharge...

Rest assured, just because you're introverted, empathetic, hypersensitive or have a restless brain doesn't mean you can't stop exhausting yourself.

You won't change who you are, but you can stop "suffering". Here's my advice:

Energy audit

To begin with, it's essential to take the time to really identify what gives you energy and what takes it away.

Go through all your activities for the week, hour by hour, and classify each of them in a table with three columns: what gives you energy, what takes energy from you, what is neutral (it doesn't affect your state).

See what you can stop, delegate, transform and prioritize!

You can do the same with situations or contexts.

An example:

I realized that certain commitments and profiles of people tended to drain me. So I learned to recognize them, anticipate them and create rules, limits and filters for myself.

Set filters

Does everything deserve your attention, your reaction, your response?

If you're curious like me and consume a lot of information, it's going to be essential to learn how to sort, select and structure it, otherwise it's an overdose.

Likewise, I've been talking for 15 years now, but being hooked on news or constantly scrolling through networks won't provide any nourishment for your mind. It's a bit like junk food: it creates short-term pleasure, but doesn't provide enough nutrients, so you soon feel heavy afterwards...

Also stop constantly comparing yourself to others or giving yourself reasons to be somewhere else, with other people doing other things...

It all sounds like common sense, but is it really put into practice?

Filter where you put your energy and attention - it's your most precious asset! Focus this energy on what matters and on your values and objectives.

Be selfish!

If your generosity doesn't include you, it's incomplete.

Do you give? Allow yourself to receive...

Got nothing to give? Don't give anything...

The best way to serve those around you is to be yourself at your most energetic!

Authorize yourself to :

• Taking time for yourself

• Thinking of you

• Putting your well-being first

The best thing you can do for your environment is to do something for yourself:

Create your own protective bubble

We all know that need for "living space". Between you and me, I have a really hard time when we get into it :)

Your bubble is represented by your ability to set real and mental limits on what you allow into your vitality:

• Commitments

• Social interaction

• Relationship to a person, group or crowd

• Reaction to external disturbances or situations

• Saying yes or no

I know it's hard to hear, I had a hard time getting started, but you have more control than you think!

Except in cases of aggression (the extreme case), it's up to you to put up barriers.

Having strong, trusting relationships is also a good way of protecting yourself. This means filtering your circle carefully.

Set your limits, express them, impose rules on yourself and stop trying to be too nice. And remember:

Saying yes to others should never be a no for you!

Don't expect others to respect your "bubble", respect yourself and assert this need.

Take time out to recharge and get back to your best:

Your refill area

You'll always have situations or periods that take energy from you, the good news is that it can be renewed!

I love the concept that every day is a new beginning with a new self.

Recharge with :

• Quality sleep

• Moments of joy

• Nourishing activities

• Your moments alone in your own bubble

• Your own rituals

These refill "bubbles" are non-negotiable!

Your organization really needs to take charge of recovery, at the same level as your performance.

In fact, I'm planning a video on the art of allowing yourself to take breaks without feeling guilty, coming soon...

So :

• Regularly audit what gives you energy and what takes it away.

• Filter where you put your energy and attention

• Put your well-being first

• Protect your circle

• Create your own space for protection and regeneration

📚Resources of the week :

This week, I wanted to encourage you to take your place and shine at your best:

• Finding your place in society and the world of work when you feel atypical, inadequate and out of place (Black Sheep Syndrome)

I'm preparing some very, very heavy stuff for March and the arrival of spring:

Keep in touch !

Take care of yourself,

Johann

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