Emotion is e-nergy in motion.
Emotion refers to a range of feeling states which often shape our experience, making it vital that we learn to gauge our emotional tone/level.
So often we are ambushed by our emotions as we realise too late that we are sapped of all energy. An adjustment is required in other areas of our lives as our depleted emotional energy undermines our physical, mental and spiritual capabilities. This may occur due to our ignorance or disconnectedness with our inner world or by trauma.
When it
comes to energy, our emotions fall into one of two categories: high energy
emotions and low energy emotions. High energy negative emotions i.e. anger,
grief, panic and bitterness throw our bodies into a state of high alert causing an impulse of fight or flight.
Our bodies’ stress mechanisms become drained as they try to
keep up and our immune system plummets. We end up not only emotionally and actively
low but also susceptible to infections, allergies and disease.
What factors can affect your emotional tone and thus your energy levels?
An example : You are
unhappy in your work environment, the toxicity of that situation undermines your confidence, hope and self-esteem which then leads to
high energy negative emotion.
Robert
Burney states that in such a situation, the employer has ignored the difference
between our mental needs and the internal emotional component of each individual. There is an high possibility that employees will
not recover if that internal emotional element is not dealt with.
Many an employee has walked out of the door because they are exhausted!
Many an employee has walked out of the door because they are exhausted!
A family crisis can have a similar effect causing confidence and self-esteem to be undermined, hope lost and high energy emotions to ambush us. I believe that it is imperative for us all to understand the rhythmic cycle of energy within us so that we can deal with life's difficulties.
In order to recharge, we need to recognise the costs of energy-depleting
behaviours and then take responsibility for changing them, regardless of the
circumstances we are facing. - Tony Schwartz.
Schwartz states that the more we feel
our value is being challenged and the more energy we spend defending and restoring
it, the less energy we have left to create value.
Life
satisfaction can be restored by:
1. Identifying and naming feelings
2. Identifying the thoughts and meanings
associated with the feelings
3. Expressing feelings which have been
suppressed
4. Exercising self-control
5. Identifying and solving problems
systematically
6. Listening to and understanding the
points of view of others
7. Communicating what we think and feel
honestly and clearly
8. Taking responsibility for the
consequences of choices we make and the way we behave
9. Accepting our own feelings and those of
others without blame or judgement
(Franciscus)
In each area
of our lives, energy can be stretched and transformed by taking time to
establish definite rituals and behaviours that we can practise with intent and schedule
with precision e.g. coffee breaks, conversations with friends, prayer, walks
etc.
We can also recharge our energy levels when we take time out to “rest”.
What does rest mean in these days of ongoing activity? It means freedom from work, strain or activity.
A body is at rest, when it ceases to move. The
mind is at rest, when it ceases to be disturbed or agitated.
As we become
more aware of our lifestyle and the impact of our environment upon us, we
can restore the balance and replenish our emotional well-being in a positive way.In some aspects of our lives we may have ‘no say’ but others can be managed and we can learn the need to schedule rituals and behaviours which will
positively impact our energy levels and simultaneously revive our emotional tone leading to rejuvenating rest.
There are places of rest to quiet your heart...places of hope to renew your spirit...places of joy to delight your soul.
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