Energy On E? I Bet I Know Why...
BY JEN WIDERSTROM
I find it surprising that I’m still recalibrating from the pandemic. The momentum of life is picking back up to where it left off before everything shut down and I notice how my behaviors are starting to reflect what I’m observing from my environment. Things are speeding up again, so naturally I’m speeding up too. This adaptability as a human is such a gift but it makes me wonder when that gift can get in the way. Who else can relate?
All of a sudden I’m being asked to say yes to doing more. And with that, I’m experiencing an inner conflict and some feelings of overwhelm. If I take a moment to recognize why I’m feeling like this, I realize that I don’t actually have to take every opportunity offered to me, or do every single thing that is being asked of me. Instead, I need to listen to what I feel is right for me today.
Photo by The Riker Brothers
Sometimes the volume created by the loudness of the rest of the world is higher than the volume of our own insight and instinct, and it’s worth it for us to turn the knob down on that external noise and truly listen for what it is that our minds, bodies and intuitions are trying to tell us. As I’ve challenged myself to listen more, I’ve started to realize (much to my surprise) how much more of an introvert I am than an extrovert.
How can you tell if you’re an introvert or an extrovert? Ask yourself this question: how do you recharge? Do you feel reenergized when you’re at a big table at dinner with great conversation and a lot of people, or do you feel most recharged after a quiet evening alone? I’ve found that, while I love people and I enjoy those types of dinners, I find myself drained by them.
Now that we are back in school, back in the office, and we are safely opening back up as a country (which is exciting, important, and wonderful) it doesn’t mean that re-adopting the same pace and habits as before is best for me, or that it’s best for you either. I’ve enjoyed this step back and I’ve realized that while the world might be open, I don’t think I’m going to be open anymore in the same way that I used to be. Of course, I am still interested in new experiences, to learning new things and to welcoming new people into my life, but I need to discover a renewed personal alignment. I need to really ask myself what that balance is for Jen, and you should ask yourself what that balance is for you (and only you!).
The only way to explore that is to a) realize what you need to do to recharge (for me, that’s time alone) and to b) give yourself the time to feel clearly. We are always trying to think clearly, but are we actually feeling clearly? That’s the question I want to bring to the table for this conversation. What are the steps you need to recharge and are you taking them?
I know for a fact that I’ve probably disappointed some people lately who want to see me regularly again. It’s not about not choosing them, it’s just about choosing me. We are in an ongoing experiment of self. This is where I am, this is what I need now, and that’s what I’m going to honor.
Consider joining me in honoring whatever it is that you need.
-Jen Widerstrom, Founder
P.S. Remember that no matter what you're going through right now, you don't have to do it alone! There are others like you in our community, where we interact on a daily basis, fight our demons, share our victories, and watch over each other as friends and accountability partners.
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