| People are attracted to energy like moths to a | | | | my neck from side to side every half hour. |
| flame, and when the flame gets turned up too | | | | Experts agree, saying that standing up every half |
| high - or low - they may become repelled. | | | | hour increases our energy by thirty percent. |
| I had a friend who possessed so much energy | | | | Poor posture contributes to poor breathing and |
| she reminded me of a SuperballÂ(R) that | | | | ultimately to diminished vocal quality. Some say |
| had been thrown against a hard surface. Her | | | | that when we slump our shoulders we diminish |
| bouncing energy made it impossible to focus on | | | | our lung capacity by thirty percent or more. |
| what she had to say. Another friend had such low | | | | I constantly remind myself to "stand in my |
| energy I teased him that people were going to | | | | power" by standing up straight, tucking back my |
| start putting mirrors under his nose to see if he | | | | arms, and projecting my chest forward, or as |
| was breathing. Neither had a clue that their | | | | one client says, "letting my headlights show." |
| energy level was hindering their ability to | | | | Drink water. We all have read about the health |
| communicate and harming their careers. | | | | benefits of drinking lots of water. Drinking water |
| I often advise clients to dial their energy either up | | | | every twenty to thirty minutes also sends a |
| or down. "Picture a thermostat," I counsel. "Then | | | | signal to our metabolism to keep up its energy. |
| simply dial it up or down." Rarely does one need | | | | Doctors tell us ice-cold water is even more |
| to adjust the dial more than twenty-five percent, | | | | effective. |
| and usually just a "tweak" will do it. In addition to | | | | Eat smart. My trainer suggests that I eat six |
| gauging the amount of energy we emit, we need | | | | times a day. He says eating low-fat, high-fiber, |
| to explore the different types of energy that fuel | | | | and high complex carbohydrate snacks between |
| us. I have learned that there are two primary | | | | meals actually increases energy and metabolism. I |
| energy states: anxiety-produced energy and | | | | do know that when I skip between-meal snacks - |
| grounded energy. I have to confess that too | | | | or worse, entire meals - my blood sugar falls and |
| often I am fueled by a tense, anxiety-produced | | | | I become tired. But just a few bites of high |
| energy. I am productive but not very pleasant to | | | | protein food fuel my energy. |
| be around. | | | | Caffeine overstimulates me and causes my |
| When I am in this aggravated state, adrenaline | | | | energy to become anxiety-based. I also stay |
| and cortisol are coursing through my bloodstream, | | | | away from sugary foods for the same reason. |
| and I am being manipulated by the primitive "fight | | | | Everyone's body is different. Pay attention to |
| or flight" syndrome. | | | | yours to determine which foods fuel you and |
| Adrenaline and cortisol can become seductive, as | | | | which deplete your energy. And remember, what |
| can the heightened feelings of productivity and | | | | your mama told you is true: breakfast is the |
| power. But then I remember that the | | | | most important meal of the day. A breakfast high |
| disadvantages of this anxiety-produced energy | | | | in complex carbohydrates, protein, and fiber -- |
| far outweigh the advantages. My muscles are | | | | and low in fat -- will get your day off to an |
| tense. Minor irritations escalate into major | | | | energetic start. |
| frustrations, and I am unable to truly connect with | | | | Exercise. A study conducted at the Center for |
| others. Additionally, I pay a physical price: my | | | | Creative Leadership in Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| stamina wanes and eventually I burn out. | | | | showed that exercisers scored better than |
| When I operate from grounded energy, the | | | | non-exercisers in all leadership categories including |
| dynamics drastically change. I am alert, optimistic, | | | | organization, interpersonal skills, and energy. |
| level-headed, connected, and my muscles are | | | | Exercise benefits us all, and it benefits us in |
| more relaxed. I still get things done but not with | | | | different ways. I am a high-energy person. |
| the frantic hypervigilance caused by anxiety. | | | | Exercise is essential for me because without it I |
| We have the power to change our level of | | | | am bouncing against the walls. For me, exercise |
| energy as well as the type of energy we emit. | | | | converts anxiety into grounded energy. For my |
| Here are seven tips that my clients and I have | | | | friend Bob, exercise takes on another |
| found particularly helpful: | | | | characteristic: it helps Bob get his juices going in |
| Match your energy to build rapport. I match my | | | | the morning. Exercise primes his pump for the |
| energy level to the person with whom I am | | | | rest of the day. |
| communicating by monitoring and matching his or | | | | Get rest. You already know that the body needs |
| her breathing rate, vocal speed, and volume. | | | | rest to recuperate and regenerate itself. As with |
| I used to go on sales calls with a partner, and I | | | | food, the amount of rest needed each night |
| would monitor my partner's energy and raise or | | | | varies by person. I need eight hours of sleep. |
| lower mine to create balance. If my partner's | | | | When I don't get them, my energy wanes and I |
| energy was high, I would dial mine down; if her | | | | become irritable. |
| energy was low, I would dial mine up. | | | | We all have times of the day in which we are |
| When I present, I monitor the audience's energy. | | | | more energetic than others. The most productive |
| If the audience's energy level is waning, I dial mine | | | | people plan their days around their peak periods. |
| up to reenergize the crowd. If the energy level in | | | | I am a morning person. Between 6 and 9 a.m. I |
| the room is too high, I dial mine down to restore | | | | can do the work of three people. It is during this |
| calm so that the audience can focus on my | | | | time that I do most of my writing. Between 3 |
| message. | | | | and 4 p.m., my energy wanes. Being an |
| Monitor your breathing. Breath helps us manage | | | | extrovert, I find that if I use this time for phone |
| energy. When I am feeling that my energy is | | | | work, the interaction with people energizes me. |
| anxiety-based, I observe how I am breathing. In | | | | How about you? What are peak and low energy |
| almost every case, I am taking shallow breaths | | | | times of your day and what are you doing during |
| or, even worse, holding my breath. When I take | | | | those times? |
| deep, cleansing breaths and become more | | | | Much of our success in life depends on our ability |
| conscious of my breathing, I am able to shift to a | | | | to manage energy. By becoming conscious of our |
| more grounded energy. | | | | energy level and those around us, we tap into our |
| Take a posture break. My massage therapist tells | | | | potential and electrify our careers. We attract |
| me that most of my tension lodges in my neck. | | | | people to us like moths to a flame. |
| She suggests standing up, stretching, and rolling | | | | |