The Beauty of Energy-Filled Action        

Energy-filled action mood lady

We all like action, don't we? It's that feeling of movement and going forward and for many of us, there is such a feeling of accomplishment when we are able to tick those things off the list and get things done. Well, so we've already established that accomplishment and getting things done are some of the things we associate with action. Sounds good, right?

And do you ever really want to take action, but just can't get started? Or maybe you do it and then feel utterly exhausted afterwards? I'm not talking about the feeling of using your body after a run or something similar. I'm talking about a surprising and maybe even unreasonable feeling of exhaustion after a task that should not have been very taxing at all. The question here is, then, if we are accomplishing something and getting something done, why does it feel so hard and why are we often so depleted after taking action?

Well, I talked about what true accomplishment is and how we define it in January's newsletter (click here to read this if you missed it!) and this month, I thought it only appropriate to go on a little exploration journey when it comes to Action. You ready? Let's go then.

You might be thinking. Well, action. That's not hard to define. I know what action is. Yes, I am sure you do. But I also think there might be some elements of it that maybe you haven't thought of before. Let's start out by seeing what my favorite Merriam & Webster say about the word. www.m-w.com says "the accomplishment of a thing usually over a period of time, in stages, or with the possibility of repetition". Ok, thanks guys. Sounds pretty straightforward. But wait...   

I talk to people all the time who say they want to take action on something. They want to accomplish that thing in stages or over a period of time, just like M-W say.  It can be something small or a step in the direction of a big goal that they have been thinking about for a very long time. Sometimes they take action quickly and easily. It seems almost effortless, even when it is something big. And then sometimes there is SUCH a struggle. There is so much pushing and trying or postponing and finding lots of good excuses to keep that action at bay.

What's the difference here then? Why is it sometimes so easy to get going and why is it sometimes so difficult? Why are we sometimes invigorated afterwards and other times, utterly depleted? Well, of course there are lots of factors to consider, but in my experience, a big element to look at here is what I call, Energy-filled Action. What I mean by this type of action is that it is something that is totally in line with who you are and where you are going right now. It has nothing to do with the 'shoulds' or the 'musts' or the 'supposed tos', but has everything to do with true desire and connection with what is best for you right now. It's like an inner calling, if you know what I mean.

This energy-filled action can be a challenge to tap into. We are so used to doing, doing, doing that it is often difficult for us to slow down long enough to get to the state where energy-filled action reveals itself. When we do--when we give ourselves that space-we can be pulled by action. This means that we can get an inner energy toward whatever it is and a feeling of being propelled forward, which creates more energy. There is no pushing and it is not draining.

Have you ever experienced this? When you decide to do something, and it is like there is some inner motor that is turned on and all you need to do is show up. Think about a time that this seemed to be the case. What were the circumstances? Where did that energy come from do you think? Can you see some connection to a bigger goal or bigger part of yourself.

One thing that can be helpful is to see if maybe you can find a connection to one of your core values. This is a big subject and something I'll go into more in a future newsletter. For now, I'll give you an example from my own life. When I was finishing my MA in TESOL, I started looking out for jobs abroad, preferably close to but not in Sweden, where I had been before and wasn't ready to go back to. As if I had ordered it, an opportunity in Finland showed up that was perfect. I applied, not thinking I would get it and about 6 weeks later I had graduated and was in a new country to start a new career.

Does it sound easy? Well, if you have ever prepared for an international assignment, a move and a new career all at once, you can probably guess that the process can be a little overwhelming. I actually didn't even have a current passport at the time so there was a lot to organize. But none of it felt hard and I didn't push in the least. Everything happened as it was supposed to, when it was supposed to and everything got done. When I look back at it now, I see how big that value of Exploration/Learning/Growth was for me at that time, although I wasn't aware of that then. Now, though, I can see how that adventure in Finland was directly connected to that core value. There was no pushing of any kind. I was just propelled by that energy-filled action that was connected to a deeper part of myself.

I also see that there was a lot of non-action before that point. I remember not knowing exactly what I was going to do after graduation. I also remember just letting that unknown be there and not wanting to force anything to happen. That is another challenge when we tap into that inner connection and to energy-filled action. Sometimes this action looks very different than what we are used to. Before the actually 'doing', there might be a long period of just being open to what wants to happen. 'What WANTS to happen?', I hear you questioning. 'I need to MAKE things happen'. Well, that brings us back to pushing, pushing, pushing and feeling exhausted and worn out by things we thought would energize us. Makes me tired just thinking about it. How about you? 

So, when you feeling a real resistance to taking action, take a closer look...how important is this to you? Are you doing it because it feels like you 'should'? If so, re-evaluate. Can you tweak the action so it is more consistent with something that is very important to you? Can you see how doing it brings you closer to who you are or want to be? Or is it so far off, you need to take some other action that won't be such a struggle?

And remember that if you are trying to decide on your next action, maybe you need to take a time-out. What if you let go of the action for a while, and give it some space to build up? Give yourself some space to feel, some space to be. You don't need to push or force things. Just be open. See what wants to happen. And then be led to that beautiful, effortless energy-filled action and enjoy.