The other day, I was chatting with a friend about how tired we all are. We stopped at the local coffee shop to get one latte' and one chai tea for me, please. Both of us are older (dare I use that word) But what I mean is that we don't have little ones to chase after, our kids are grown and flown. We're getting sleep, working out, taking small steps to living our best life, and still, we feel tired. Anyone else feel this way? Maybe it's the way we all get so overwhelmed by the constant onslaught of news, media, and someone always trying to push us to buy, buy, buy. Honestly, I'm about to say the hell with consumerism all together. But anyway, back to our energy, or lack there of. What exactly is zapping us from feeling our best?
As usual, I head to nature for answers. And when I say nature, I mean the herd of horses I get to care for, partner with, listen to, occasionally ride when all the chores are done, and learn from. Horses tend to do a couple of things throughout the day... they eat, sleep, drink, play, eat, sleep, make quite a bit of manure, and then stand around for dinner. When I took the time to actually observe what they really are doing, that's it. I noticed how there are no worrying type of behaviors, no racing back and forth along the fence line, definitely no anger, resentment, melancholy, or any human emotion that's negative. Not that there should be, they're horses and horses sense things on a different level entirely.
In other words, they are wonderful about conserving their energy for when they might need it. As a flight animal, they know, instinctively that they cannot survive if they are always running. They will wear out, and then be unable to save themselves if the need arises. They rest an awful lot. Our horses will run, roll, play with each other, and then nap for a good 45 minutes in the sunshine. It's amazing. They're just like little kids, even though they very in age. How can we take this observation from horse behavior and apply to our own lives?
Be mindful of how you're spending your own time - What are you actually doing with your 24 hours each day that you are here.
While you're resting, are you really resting? Be honest about what your brain is doing even when your body is still.
Give your body opportunities to truly be active long enough for endorphins to be released
Walk 30 minutes, then check in with yourself.
Releasing negative thought patterns as you breathe.
If you aren't sure how to get started, or you need someone to hold you accountable, reach out to me today. There is no reason to continue to waste all your energy on things that are hurting you in the long run. FYI, the long run becomes shorter as you age. There's nothing to lose. Reach out today!
