Ships don’t sink because of the water around them; ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don’t let what’s happening around you get inside you and weigh you down.
How do you feel about your life at this very moment? Do you enjoy it?
Are you fulfilling your passion? Or do you dread getting out of bed in the morning?
In a perfect world, you’d jump out of bed happy, energized and ready to tackle the day with ease.
Your family goes to work or school happy and everyone at work is a joy to work with.
Sound great?
The perfect life may not be attainable however striving for a healthy balance between your personal and work life can make your world feel closer to perfection.
When you live a well-balanced life, your energy levels increase, you feel rejuvenated, revitalized, and you don’t let stressful situations knock you off track.
If this sounds like you and you want more energy and balance in life, keep reading.
In today’s article, I’ll teach you how to figure out what you truly want, what you don’t want, and ultimately live your best life by setting healthy boundaries and protecting your energy.
The Flow of Energy
According to traditional Chinese medicine, energy flows through our body through ‘energy hallways’ and the flow of energy affects how we feel, think, act and our overall health.
This energy flows freely when it isn’t blocked by stress, burnout or poor living conditions, however our physical and mental health are at risk when our energy is blocked.
Boundaries protect our energy and are the key to maintaining energy balance because our energy is also our spirit or liveliness. When you take on too much at home or work, you become stressed.
Stress causes burnout because it depletes your energy. Burnout causes resentment at work and with family and friends.
Protect yourself from burnout and save your energy by doing these three things.
Decide What You Really Want.
Close your eyes for a moment and think about your perfect world. Where do you live?
What kind of work are you doing? What are you doing for fun?
Do you travel for work? What do you enjoy doing on the weekends with your family?
What types of clothes or colors do you wear in this perfect world? Do you live in a house or condo?
Do you have pets? What type of car do you drive?
Your answers should be things that make you happy, really happy.
Maybe you take some European vacations in your perfect world. Or maybe you dream of being on the New York Times Bestseller list.
Maybe you’re driving an expensive sports car. Or maybe things aren’t important, and as a result you’re dreaming of sunsets on the beach while the kids splash in the waves.
There are no right or wrong answers here. This exercise is for you to daydream. After that your unconscious mind will help you see what’s really important to you.
Be honest about what you don’t want.
Equally important to know what you want in life is knowing what you DON’T want.
Moreover, creating balance is all about being honest with yourself, subsequently doing things and being around people that will bring you joy, not stress and anger.
For example, think about the yin and yang idea from Chinese philosophy.
They are often thought of as two competing forces however they actually work together in a complementary way to create balance.
After you have written down what you want and what you don’t want from your life, it’s time to create a plan to bring them into balance with each other.
Above all, once you know what you want and what you don’t want, your plan of action will become clear.
Set Boundaries
First, set boundaries with yourself to achieve life changing results.
Often times boundaries are viewed as a way to control other people however that is not the function of a boundary at all.
Similar to a property boundary, an emotional boundary draws a line in the sand where one person starts and another start.
Boundaries may seem like a separation from the people around us however they really have the opposite effect.
Moreover, boundaries include a request from you to another person to change their behavior along with what you will do if that boundary is violated.
For example, what do you do if someone is yelling at you?
Do you allow them to yell, or do you remove yourself from the situation?
In addition, boundaries must be communicated only when someone has violated them.
Let’s use the example above. It is your responsibility to tell the person yelling at you that you do not appreciate it and if they continue to yell at you, you will walk away.
In the same way, if someone comes into your house uninvited you could yell at them like a crazy person. Or you could simply tell them if they don’t leave you’re calling the police. That is a boundary!
Healthy boundaries protect your energy by allowing others to choose how they will behave. In the same way, healthy boundaries allow you to follow through on the consequence if the behavior continues.
Does this resonate with you but your not sure how to apply it to your life? Why not do a mini coaching session with me?
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