I had a social media friend reach out and ask me, "What is your energy secret? I hope to get motivated to workout and take better care of myself like you do. Where do you find your energy? I need some!"

Friends, I could literally write a book about this--and I’m working on that; but for now, I'm going to ask you a few questions that provoke thought and make a few thought provoking statements; that will help you get on the right track to finding the energy you need to take better care of yourself.

Energy is around us every day. What it comes down to is, where and who are you getting your energy from and what are you spending your energy on? Are you wasting it or investing in it?

1. In my experience of coaching women for over a decade and in my personal experience, the most prevalent cause of energy depletion is relationships. ALL kinds of relationships…whether its with your SELF, your children, your significant other, your friends, your non-friends, your coworkers, your boss, and the list is endless.

2. Next in line to deplete your energy is stress. Stress comes from cause number one, relationships, and also from every day stressors like juggling time, family responsibilities, managing finances, workload and the pressure of it all.

3. Then because of those two mac daddy causes of energy depletion, the domino effect continues with not sleeping, poor nutrition habits, and drinking alcohol. This type of destructive behavior will make your energy spike at times and then CRASH, and will also be dehydrating…which again, leads to low or no energy.

ALL of these causes will zap your energy...IF YOU ALLOW THEM TO.

See there is a beautiful answer to correcting all of this. It starts with YOU doing the HEARTwork. Before you start wasting money on all the fad diets and quick fixes to try to get energy or to lose weight, focus on the ROOT cause of why you feel as bad as you do.

It takes conscious, committed effort and COURAGE, to look deep within yourself and to start making the decision on who and what you are willing to spend your energy on and how you will deal with your every day life stressors. Here are a few suggestions on where to start:

• Removing toxic people from your life is not a new concept but don't just read about it…do it.
• Learn NON-confrontational communication skills so you can express your feelings, desires and needs effectively without guilt or blame.
• Feed yourself nutritious food and frequently, to keep you healthy, strong and your energy stable. Food is healthy energy. (not coffee, stimulants, or energy drinks)
• Exercise to relieve stress, to feel strong, to feel confident, and to be healthy.

When you pay closer attention to how you are choosing to live your life and start choosing actions that help you feel better, you will have all the energy and motivation you need to be your personal best. It takes conscious, concerted effort, patience and time. BUT first you have to give your SELF permission and understand that YOU are worthy. Do this for YOU and every aspect of your life will improve.

HEARTwork with hard work. That is the answer.

By Liza Hughes RN
Fitness.Nutrition.Wellness.
Lifestyle Coach to Women