Five things you can do when you want to move forward (but are lacking energy) - October 2022 edition

“I feel exhausted and I don´t even know why! And what worries me most is that I don´t have the energy right now to push things forward”.

It´s the third time in only two weeks that I hear this or a similar statement.

It does not surprise me because I too noticed that my energy levels fluctuate more than normal at the moment and that I have to be gentle with myself to balance doing and resting.

It does not matter whether you want to leave an unfulfilling job behind, grow your business, or pursue your passion project, if you feel that things are a bit heavier than normal, then this article is for you!

We live in complex times

As much as I´d like to talk about all the good things happening only at the moment, it´s evident that we live in complex times. 

• A global pandemic

• The climate crisis

• An energy crisis

• Rising prices and insecurity about the future

• And a war in Europe - not even to mention all the other conflicts around the world.

And on top of that your own life, your own career, your own business, your own challenges.

 It´s a lot. 

It really is. 

So it does not come as a surprise that a lot of you, of us, feel overwhelmed.

Our brains, our bodies, and our souls can only handle that much at a time. 

We all know that this is ok. When the world feels heavy, it´s ok that we are not on top of our energy, it´s ok to rest, to slow down.

But I know that for a lot of you this does not feel right.

It´s hard to slow down, potentially even stop. 

If you are determined to change your (work) life because you want to feel better, then not pushing forward feels wrong. But what if it was just part of the process? 

So let´s talk about five things you can do when the word feels heavy but you want to make sure that you stay on track with your goals.

Number 1: Do an inventory

When things feel strange, it´s easy to say “I don´t feel well” but if you want to change things and feel better, it´s important to understand what`s exactly going on.

There´s a difference between whether you feel exhausted, nervous, restless, or activated.

Once you understand what´s really going on, it will be easier for you to identify what you can do to feel better.

So don´t get stuck in “feeling meh”, but start investigating what exactly makes you feel that way.

This is what you can do

 Questions that will help you explore that more

• What specifically am I feeling right now?

• What makes me feel that way? Is it my work, my lifestyle, or the state of the world?

• How can I take better care of myself (emotionally, mentally, physically) to feel better?

#2 Look at the bigger scheme of things

What makes situations challenging is when we have the feeling that they are permanent.

But we all know, nothing is permanent. Life equals change.

If you think in a lifetime, a couple of months without “pushing” will not make a lot of a difference.

What matters is that you are in it for the long run.

So look at your life and your plans in the bigger scheme of things.

How do your current state, your current energy levels, and your current actions fit into the vision you have for your life and career? How would things feel if you´d stretched out the timespan and started to think in a year's timespan instead of months or a quarter? What if you´d stretched it to 5, or even 10 years? What would that change?

“Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” - Bill Gates

This is what you can do

Journal about the bigger picture of your life. What matters to you in the long run? What do you want to achieve, pursue, or do over your lifespan? And then explore how your current actions are related to that and what matters in the long run. 

#3: Slow down

Slowing down might sound obvious but I know that this can feel like a challenge.

But what if the current situation (and any challenging phase in your life, really) was an invitation to slow down?

What if this was the time to recharge, learn, and surrender?

What I´ve learned over and over again is that after slow times, things will always pick up again.

Slow phases always create clarity.

Slow phases always generate energy for the things to come.

Slow phases are in fact, an accelerator for a change!

“Slow phases are an accelerator for a change!” 

So what if challenging times are an invitation to slow down?

To give your body and mind what they need.

To take the foot off the gas and deepen the work instead.

To sink into your body, connect with your needs, and start trusting that everything will work out well?!  

This is what you can do

Answer the following questions

• What do I need most right now? Mentally, physically, emotionally?

• What would happen if I´d allow myself to slow down?

• What could I learn about myself, my path in life, and the world when if I´d slowed down?

I RECORDED A PODCAST EPISODE FOR YOU WHERE I TALK JUST ABOUT THAT. Find this episode of the “Designing A Colourful (Work) Life” podcast here on iTunes, and here on Spotify.

#4 Take responsibility for your life and career

Of all steps, this is the most crucial one!

 If you only take one thing away from this article then it´s the reminder that you are in charge of your life.

So it´s you who has to take responsibility for your life, for how you feel, for your actions and thoughts. 

Taking responsibility for your life means to start being honest with yourself.

To start doing things your way. At your pace, respecting your resources, and in line with your priorities.

It´s easy to blame the world or circumstances for where you are in your life and career. And yes, those factors have an impact on where you are standing and how you are feeling. But after all, it´s still you who can influence things, react, and create.

This has nothing to do with “go all in and push” or toxic positivity or toxic productivity. 

The work to do here is to have a close look at your needs and desires. To get very honest with yourself and what you can and want to do.

Maybe this is sowing down and resting, but might also realize that you want to move forwad no matter how the word feels, that you want to do things, and enjoy life!

Taking responsibility for your life means understanding that you always have an impact on how you feel and perceive the world.

This is what you can do

These questions will help you with that:

• Where am I handing over my happiness, well-being, and success to others, to external factors?

• What can I influence and would make me feel better, and help me move forward?

• What can I do right now (or not do!) to feel and do better?

It all starts with taking an honest look at your career and life and then (re)acting intentionally to that. 

#5 Take action

This step goes hand in hand with taking responsibility.

If you are not feeling well or think things should be different then you have to initiate it.

Taking action does not only mean doing things, creating, and moving but also deciding to not do things.   The core of that is to truly understand your needs and goals. You´ll find a couple of ideas on how to do that in this article.

Once you know what you truly need you can then decide what steps to take.

Whether that is resting and slowing down, or going all in to move forward.

Both are actions.

Both will support you on your journey.

This is what you can do

Start paying attention to the connection between your needs and goals. You´ll reach your goals if you take continuous action. But you´ll only be able to take continuous action if you honor your needs as well. And remember that not doing things is an action too! 

So how to move forward from here?

Before I close this article, here´s my loving reminder that you are an individual. How you maneuver these times are a personal decision and journey. So please take what you need, try the things out that resonate with you, and make them your own. 

This is also what Designing Your Life is all about: getting clear on what you need and want in your career and life, taking action, evaluating your steps, learning, adapting, changing, and then taking the next step.

This is how change works. 

And you so got this! 

Lots of love!

Laura

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Hey, I am Laura a certified Designing Your Life Coach, recruitment professional, podcaster, multi-passionate career changer, and business owner, In my Designing Your (Work) Life 1:1 Coaching series, I will help you to gain clarity about what you want in life and your career, equip you with the tools you need to create a fulfilling (work) life and move through challenges along the way. Because this is not only about a job but about what life you want to live! 🌿

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