April 14, 2011
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Most people think of sustainability in the context of environmental awareness and corporate social responsibility efforts, which focus on ways to make better use of limited, shrinking, and in some cases already scarce resources. The focus is generally on sources of energy, and energy renewal. But this is simply one application of the sustainability principle.
Sustainability can be defined broadly as the ability to maintain something at a certain level, indefinitely. While the definition is easy to grasp, more subtle are two important implications. The first is that to be sustainable, any given asset, no matter what it is, must be kept whole, without making significant trade-offs that undermine the capital used to generate and maintain it. The second follows from the first: sustainability hinges on the ability to see finite resources as the very source of creativity and innovation.
And the most personal and valuable resource we have, and the one that is surely finite, is our own energy. In other words, we each face the challenge of personal sustainability at some point, for the simple reason that each day we have more to do. It helps to have a few strategies to ensure we not only start the day with maximum energy, but to be able to keep renewing it as the day progresses.
Want to read more about sustainability? Check these out:
I asked Sheevaun Moran, host of the radio show, “Master Your Energy, Master Your Life” to give me a double fistful of tips.
1. Stretching before you get out of bed. It's the kindest thing you can do to your body. By stretching you are releasing the toxins from the joints and waking the body up before jumping out of bed and your day will be more upbeat.
2. Drink 8 ounces of pure, clear energized water first thing. When you’ve been sleeping your body is dehydrated and adding that morning latte only dehydrates it faster. Get your system moving with the morning water before the latte.
3. Add salt to your morning shower. Yes, add salt when you are soaping up, because the salt is a refresher and will help soften your skin AND soften your hard edges/stress.
4. Clear out all clutter on your desk or in your space. The more clutter with old files, books that are no longer needed, papers, clothes, etc the more space you have to create and get more done in less time.
5. Meditate on the words “I can …” The reason for this is because you’ve been conditioned to meditate on the problem. When you meditate on the problem then you are actually exacerbating it and making it bigger. Although you may not have the solution to the problem meditating on the “I can have a solution to…” will actually open the doors to a solution.
6. Take a different way to work every day for 15 days. The reason for this is that we become so embedded in our routine this actually ensures that the brain and decision making are less flexible and much slower.
7. Give back. When you give to someone your heart and mind open up to greater options. The theory of giving is not new and needs to be done regularly, not just at the weekly service you attend. If you give something every single day you will find that your life and business are more abundant with less effort than ever before.
8. Balance your brain. Brain balancing is an ancient practice that will allow stress in the body and mind to ease and virtually disappear. There’s an ancient technique the kings used to teach their first born children and which activates the brain to stimulate the neurons to be healthy and vibrant.
9. Detach from the outcome. Cut the umbilical cord to the thing that you most desire. When you remain clear and hold the intention and yet cut the cord the energy is released. When the energy gets released you are more free and fluid to ensure the outcome is as it should be.
10. Breathe! By taking regular breaths and incorporate breathing breaks throughout the day you are more focused and more productive. Your energy is more calm and able to handle the stressors. The higher the stress load the more frequent and necessary it is for breathing breaks. Two minutes three times a day scheduled into your calendar will ensure you get the breaks you need for optimal results.
Bonus tip:
Jump! The simple act of jumping or doing jumping jacks will stimulate the system and release energy from the inside of the body and from the outside of the body. If you can do 20 of them and you will have cleared a lot of energetic space for the day to be vibrant and energized.
Sheevaun Moran's articles have appeared in Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Conscious Living, and she has been featured on numerous television shows as well as NPR. You can find her blog and radio show here .
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