Have you ever been so worn out that everything in your life seems mundane or unimportant?  No matter what you do, you just can’t get going again?

An abundant source of energy is a must-have to live an enjoyable life and to contribute to the joy of others.  When you’re tired, you become more easily irritated and stressed out, which leads to poor relationships and poor health.  Left unchecked, it’s all too easy to end up asking what went wrong, with the pieces of what used to be your life scattered all around you.  Beside all that, let’s just face it — being run down Sucks!

So what are some ways that you can protect your energy levels?

1.  No more coffee.  The same goes for energy drinks.  99% of so called energy drinks aren’t actually giving your body energy, they are just stimulating your nervous system.  The end result is usually that your body becomes more stressed out and unbalanced and tired.  You can’t drug your way out of a problem that is caused by drugs.

2.  Eat raw fruits and vegetables.  An overwhelming amount of our energy is spent just digesting the cooked foods that we eat.  There is a reason you get sleepy and sluggish after you eat a meal.  It’s because your body is summoning all available energy to digest the substances you’ve just put into it.  Raw food has enzymes in it that help your stomach digest it, thus giving you more energy, not taking energy away.  As a plus, you’ll get much more nutrients from raw food, so you won’t have to eat as many calories, and eating less will give you more available energy and extend your life as well.

3.  Get more sleep.  This is kind of obvious, but all too often we just medicate our way through this with our coffee and red bulls.  When you are tired, sleep.  If for some reason, you can’t, see above and below.

4.  Avoid negativity.  This includes negative people.  There are some people, you might even call them your friends, that all they do is suck the life energy out of you.  They constantly complain and whine about every little thing.  You might even be one of those people.  All of this negativity zaps your energy faster than running a marathon.  Don’t believe me?  Try avoiding these people for a week and see how you feel.  You don’t have to be snotty about it, but whenever they open their mouths and what they’re saying isn’t positive, just be somewhere else instead.  If you’re the negative person, then try avoiding you!  Every time you say or think something negative, be somewhere else instead

5.  Exercise.  This seems counter-intuitive, but I promise you it works like magic.  The more active you are, the more energy you have available and the better you will sleep at night (thus giving you more energy again).  I always hear on this one:  “I just don’t have time to go to the gym or workout.”  Blah, blah, blah.  First of all, I wouldn’t recommend you ever go to the gym to workout, especially when you could do it for free and get some fresh air while you’re at it.  Secondly, you have just as much time as everyone else in the world.  Stop making excuses, you poor little victim, you. ;(  (Please read number 4 again, if this victim is you).

The fastest most effective exercises you can do are at home with no equipment.  That’s right!  You don’t need any equipment at all.  You remember what a push-up is right?  There are even a hundred different ways to do them, so you never have to get bored either.  Throw in some sit-ups, and some squats and you’ve just done a whole body workout in two and a half minutes (if you don’t break in between exercises).  That’s a commercial break.  Maybe you need a gentler work out?  You can do yoga, tai chi,  the five tibetan rites, ride a bike, or just go for a walk.  Don’t think about exercising, just do it.

Remember, if you’re ever going to take over the world, or the equivalent — raise your kids, then you need to have the instantly available energy to do it.  There is no quick fix for constant, steady energy, the only way to have it in your life is to live a lifestyle that cultivates it.  Dream that lifestyle, and then make it real.  You deserve it.