rote the best-seller Seabiscuit. Hillenbrand barely had enough physical energy to drag herself out of be to write. But she was fueled by having a story she wanted to share. It was emotional energy that helped her succeed.
Unlike physical energy, which is finite and diminishes with age, emotional energy is unlimited and has nothing to do with genes or up bringing. So how do you get it? You can’t simply tell yourself to be positive. You must take action. Here are six practical strategies that work.
1.Do something new.
Very little that’s new occurs in our lives. The impact of this sameness on our emotional energy is gradual, but huge: It's like a tire with a slow leak. You don't it at first, but eventually you'll get a flat. It's up to you to plug the leak--even though there are always a dozen reasons to stay stuck in your dull routines of life. That's where Maura, 36, a waitress, found herself a year ago.
Fortunately, Maura had a lifeline--a group of women friends who meet regularly to discuss their lives. Their lively discussions spurred Maura to make small but nevertheless life altering changes. She joined a gym in the next town. She changed her look with a short haircut and new black T-shirts. Eventually, Maura gathered the courage to quit her job and start her own business.
Here's a challenge: If it's something you wouldn't ordinarily do, do it. Try a dish you've never eaten. Listen to music you'd ordinarily tune out. You'll discover these small things add to your emotional energy.
2.Reclaim life's meaning.
So many of my patients tell me that their lives used to have meaning, but that somewhere along the line things went state.
The first step in solving this meaning shortage is to figure out what you really care about, and then do something about it. A case in point is Ivy, 57, a pioneer in investment banking. "I mistakenly believed that all the money I made would mean something." she says. "But I feel lost, like a 22-year-old wondering what to do with her life." Ivy's