As the new year unfolds, it’s an opportune time to reflect on how we perceive energy. Often, we liken our energy to a leaky bucket, something that depletes and needs constant refilling. But this perspective might be limiting us.
What if we reimagined energy through different metaphors?
For me, I relate to energy like the wind or a breeze. The wind is always there – sometimes subtle, other times forceful. Understanding the direction of life’s winds is crucial. For instance, my aging father is nearing the end of his life, a situation requiring me to travel weekly in an already busy schedule. I could resist it, fight against it and feel drained by it or I accept it, recognizing that this is where the wind is currently taking me and look for ways for it to energise me.
Of course plenty of potential metaphors for personal energy.
Imagine energy as wind, guiding us like a sailboat on its course.
Or as ocean waves, where we learn to ride the highs and lows.
Perhaps, think of it as a flowing river, carrying us effortlessly forward.
These metaphors aren’t just poetic; they offer new ways to understand and harness our energy.
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When we think about energy incorrectly we run the risk of viewing things as de-energising when in fact they are just this season of life.
By exploring these varied metaphors, we open ourselves to more fluid, dynamic ways of managing and experiencing our energy, transforming not just how we feel, but how we engage with life itself.
So what is your metaphor for personal energy?
You take your favourite jar of goodness out of the fridge. You open it. And it’s all but empty. Mildly frustrated you scrape and scrape the bottom of the container. And in the end, barely cover your toast.