Make Space And Shift Your Whole Energy

Jennifer Schwartz is a Life and Professional Coach guiding high achievers to wake up from running on autopilot into creating their most intentional, sacred, and “pinch me” versions of their lives. With a focus on sacred leadership principles and intuitive living, Jennifer empowers her clients to awaken to their true potential, embrace their most authentic self, and cultivate a deeper sense of purpose within their careers and their whole lives.

If you’re a high achiever, you’re probably also really busy. Yes, that’s obvious. What isn’t obvious is that actually making space for yourself is essential to shift your energy!

If you feel like it’s hard to take space and time for yourself, you are certainly NOT alone. Taking space for yourself amidst your busy life is a challenge in itself. Whether you’re a high achiever with big career goals and a fuller than full plate of responsibilities, or you’re busy with your home life being at the epicenter of your family where everything seems to fall on your shoulders, taking space for YOU is the key to not losing yourself amidst it all. 

It’s easy to lose yourself when your energy and attention is pulled in a million directions and you’re juggling so much that you’re shocked you took a minute to even read this. 

Taking space for yourself is one of the most important things to create the sustainable energy you probably want, so that you can really show up and be the giver to your job, your family, your kids if you have them and show up day after day with a fuller cup. 

Energy is really about how you engage with your world and it can either drain us entirely or it can build us up to create more life force and be our best selves. To keep it simple, there’s 2 types of energy. The first type is called “catabolic energy,” which is draining, stressful, judgmental and just makes you feel so depleted that you might want to crawl into a hole and come out next winter. The second type is probably more your speed. It’s called “anabolic energy,” which is empowering, engaging, non-judgemental and builds you up so that you feel excited and lit up! Take a pause and think about your past week. What’s one thing that’s created “catabolic energy” or that’s been energy depleting? Now what’s one thing that’s created “anabolic energy” or building up force? 

Great! For someone who has a full life, I imagine it’s more important than ever to not just know the difference between both energies, but also know how you can create more of the energy you want moment to moment! 

Here’s a few tips to make space for yourself and keep your energy anabolic and high day after day!

1. Take Your Energy Inventory:
   Make a list with three columns. First column, “What drains your energy?” Second column, “What gives you energy?” Write everything down on this list you can think of, the more specific you can be the better! Now looking at both lists, brainstorm your own personal ways you can shift several key items from energy draining to energy giving.”
   
2. The 30 second exercise:
   You’re busy so understand that time is of the essence. So set your timer for 30 seconds, name your stress level between 1-10 (10 being super stressed). Plant your feet on the ground and literally pause to take as many deep breaths as you can within this time. Recheck your stress level number after those 30 seconds.
   
3. The “I’m back” game:
   When you’re busy and feeling pressured both at work or at home, it’s so normal for us to either future trip or ruminate about what happened in the past. An overemphasis on either will drain your energy faster than fast. So when you catch yourself, say out loud, “I’m back” and bring yourself back to the present moment.
   
4. Take Your Own Space:
   Making space is soul care. It will allow you to fill your cup so you can nourish yourself, stay focused at work and stay present at home. Make a date with yourself each day or each week to spend quality screenless time alone! It might be 30 minutes at a coffee shop with your favorite coffee, draw yourself a hot bath or light a candle and take out your journal.
   
5. Go Outside:
   If you’re finding yourself stuck inside all day in meetings or activities, get outside and take a 10 minute walk around the block. It’s not only a good source of Vitamin D but also is grounding, and slows down your nervous system. And if anything, transfer one of your calls to a walking meeting! ‍
6. Say “NO” more often:
   When you say no to something you’re saying yes to making space for you. If saying no is hard for you, as it is with so many people, know that setting boundaries is actually a way of honoring  your energy so you can show up more fully where and when and how you want to. 

Try out one of these tips today and see what happens to your energy and everyone else’s around you. You might surprise yourself when you take some space for yourself!