5 Ways to Get More Energy Now

Written By Symphonie Smith

1. Delete “I’ll just do it myself” from your favorite phrases list.

Contrary to popular belief, doing it yourself, only ensures that YOU will have to do it again in the future. Delegate whenever possible and let go!

Tip: Resist the temptation to take work back, from a willing person/partner, etc., once they have agreed to complete the work.

2. Flush “should” down the toilet with all the rest of the … crap!

“Should” is useless! I challenge all my clients to come up with a “should” statement they’ve told themselves, that did NOT simply make them feel bad. No one has successfully done it yet!

Resist wasting resources on what you “should” be doing or “should” have done, so you can use them on any of the following instead:

  • What you did do

  • What you want to do

  • What you can do now or next time

  • Oh… and of course what you don’t want to do

3. Cancel “me-time”.

When amongst a group of dope women, I received this gem “I don’t believe in me-time, there’s no such thing. All of the time is yours and you get to choose what you do with it”. I help clients expand their personal space all day long yet, I never quit put it this way! I love it! She is NOT wrong.

Wait … So sorry fellow amazing Black woman who I am unable to name - when I find those notes, I will give you proper credit! Alright, back the thing!

What if you lived by this truth as faithfully as you have “I’ll just do it myself”? Yes, the whole “pie” IS yours and you can choose how you want to slice it.

4. Stop helping when you can empower.

Make sure your “help” is not enabling in disguise. Enabling is the shifty, seemingly generous cousin of “I’ll just do it myself”; it is the act of doing for others what they are capable of doing for themselves. Here are a few tips for making sure “helping” others isn’t “hurting you”.

First and foremost, let them ASK. Volunteering is NOT for busy people! Periodt.

Second, ask yourself, what happens if I don’t? This question will help you distinguish between helping and enabling.

Third, if they are not capable of doing it on their own but they are capable of learning how to do it on their own, teaching, modeling and empowering are the move! Help them learn, so your services will no longer be needed.

Fourth, if you identify as a “helper”, get into the habit of watching for the transition from “I love helping, it makes me happy” to “everyone always needs my help!” Consider the feeling of resentment, a message from yourself. Resentment tells us, “YOU have an unmet need you are not paying attention to”. Pause, listen and adjust.

5. Respect the power of the minute.

Finally, here’s an easy one! When you hit a point in your busy day when it feels like you are being pulled in 6 different directions, with 20 separate cords, use 1-minute of YOUR time to focus on your breath.

Why 1-minute? Because if I say 5, you’ll fight me! LOL! However, it’s very hard to make a solid argument for “I don’t have time to take 60 seconds of my own time”… (Seriously … I bet you can’t say it out loud without cringing inside).

1-minute, does that really work? Yes!

Try it: Set a timer (or count) for 1-minute, close your eyes and listen to your breath. Breathe at a natural pace. Try to make sure your inhale (through your nose) is longer than your exhale (out of your mouth with whistle ready lips). After a minute, open your eyes but do not move. Just look around for a few seconds and take in the stillness you just created, right in the middle of a busy space.


Whew, you got this!

I know that feels like a lot so avoid attempting to make a rigid plan and rules to swear off all 5, at once, forever and ever! (Shh…That used to be my M.O.- totally ineffective, i promise).

Just reflect on these 5 things often and increase your awareness of them as you move through your days. You will slowly but surely, begin to find yourself closer to the center of your world- with much more energy!

*Warning: Most of us have deeply rooted values, beliefs and fears that may be activated when we begin to make shifts in these 5 areas. If this is true for you, quiet time, journaling, talking to supportive others, finding a tribe, supportive readings, other education and of course therapy, may help you do the work to uproot what’s no longer serving you and reclaim your energy.

Symphonie Smith