SUCCESS: Is The Energizer Bunny Mocking You?

By Eva Gregory, CPCC

Are you missing your "spark?" The "thing" that makes you want to get up in the morning and sing? Why is that? What is it that's getting in the way?

The answer is probably DRAINS. One of the definitions of a drain is to exhaust physically or emotionally. Does this sound like what you are feeling? Do you lack the energy, drive, or ambition that you would like to have in one or more areas of your life? If so, it's time to recognize where your drains are so they can be properly exorcised.

How do you identify energy drains? They are the things that leave you feeling unfulfilled, depressed, discouraged, exhausted, hopeless, or passionless. They can occur as a result of employment woes, too many demands, educational pursuits, relationships, health issues, or any other thing or person that touches your life. A very important point to remember is that energy drains are incredibly personal and unique.

Something that is a serious drain to one person could be the ultimate passion for another. Take Helen and Naomi as prime examples of this point.

Helen is a working mom. She gets up at six in the morning, gets herself dressed, and carries her sleeping son into her babysitter's home by seven so she can begin her forty-five minute commute to work each morning. She thinks about Kyle often throughout the day and sometimes has to fight tears as she envisions the things that the babysitter gets to see him do that she ends up missing. She had hoped that by now she would be used to being a career mom, but she hasn't. She can hardly believe that she's been doing this for two years.

Naomi is a stay-at-home mom. She left a very lucrative career to stay at home with her daughter. It's been nine months and she is miserable. Katie is so demanding that Naomi barely manages to get dressed most days and never seems to be able to get anything accomplished around the house until after Katie goes to bed at night. Naomi feels isolated because she was used to the hustle and bustle of her office, but she shies away from spending time with other stay-at-home moms because they seem to enjoy the life that she loathes.

It seems as though Helen and Naomi would each find their passion and eliminate their drains if they could switch places. Short of this ideal situation; let's see what other things they could do to alleviate their drains.

Helen is unhappy because she spends so much time away from her son. If Helen had to keep a full-time job, she could be home for most of her son's waking hours if she found a second shift job working 3:00 until 11:00. If she could make due on a part-time wage, her flexibility would be even greater and perhaps she could work solely during bedtime hours.

If Naomi felt strongly about being home with her daughter, she could start a home-based business and have someone on-hand to provide childcare if it were the type of business that did not allow for distractions. She could also contact her previous employer to see if there is any way that she could still remain involved with the company in a home-based capacity. This way, she does not have to develop new business relationships and will be able to be on hand for her daughter.

In order to change the things that were draining them, in each case, these women had to determine what the problem was, be willing to say NO to the things that were draining them, and decide what solution they wanted to say YES to in its place.

Unfortunately, there are times when we are unwilling or unable to say NO. So, what then? That's when you need to decide how to change your perspective so that you are okay with things the way they are. For example, what if you decide that you want to eat healthier and exercise for weight loss but each time you put yourself on a regimen, your plan completely falls apart, leaving you feeling drained? This might be an ideal situation to determine that you are OKAY with not doing the healthier eating and weight loss program at this time -- perhaps shelving the plan until a later date, or reducing the number of days that you plan on exercising, etc. There are many situations like this in life -- don't let them drain you needlessly.

Ultimately, you are the Captain of your ship. Only you can determine exactly what you can and cannot tolerate. Have you identified your drains? Once you do, you must put plans into action to make your energy drains go down the drain! Be willing to say NO to the things / circumstances / people that drain you and replace them with what you do want. Get rid of your drains today and recharge your batteries for a passion-filled existence.


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About the Author:
Eva Gregory, CPCC, is a master coach, speaker and author of several programs and books including The Feel Good Guide to Prosperity. She has instructed tens of thousands in person, on the radio and in teleconferences, seminars and workshops on how to deliberately create a life by design using the Law of Attraction. As co-host of The Jeanna and Eva Show and The Law of Attraction Show on Exceptional Wisdom Radio, she has interviewed some of the most powerfully successful motivational experts today. Her new book, Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction, co-authored with Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hanson and Jeanna Gabellini, can be found in bookstores everywhere.

 

Copyright @2009 Eva Gregory. All rights reserved.

Comments

[Chantal Beaupré, n.d.]

Great post, Eva!

My favorite sentence here, "Ultimately, you are the Captain of your ship."

While I have already identified most of my energy drains, I realize now that I still need to put plans into action to make them go down the drain!

Thank you so much for reminding me of this crucial part of the process!

Warmly,
Chantal

[Fun with Law of Attraction]

Sometimes identifying the drains is the hardest part.