If there was a way to get the results you wanted with far less work, would you continue on the grind the long, hard way or would you try something simpler? I think we all would sign up for freeing up some time and energy if we could find an effective way to do so. Read on if you are curious as to what has been a very successful way for me to work smarter.
First lets time travel back about 15 years ago to my early 20s. My life consisted of working a full time job, a part time job, working out about 90 minutes a day and spending time driving to the gym to do so, momming to my first ever adopted rescue dog who had a crazy high level of separation anxiety, maintaining my house which was the first I had purchased on my own while also being a first time landlord to a roommate, and making my best attempt at being a girlfriend while holding down a social life. In addition to those responsibilities I dealt with varying levels of anxiety and depression, I had consistent unexplained physical pain in my body nearly every day, repeat episodes with bronchitis, regular migraines, an active eating disorder in which I wouldn’t admit its severity or accept help from anyone, sleeping more than four hours a night was a struggle, and to a certain extent I felt exiled from the religion I grew up in and lost after having gone through a divorce. Looking back I would say I was a pretty hot mess mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Life was most certainly a lot of hard work at this phase in the game.
I have shared about the eating disorder some in the past. My recovery was unconventional and independent. It took significant time and effort to dig into some of the root causes behind why/how I developed the eating disorder as well as changing my habituated patterns. Even though I was able to begin eating in a healthy manner again I still had the very critical voice in my head that would set off major alarms every time I did something I perceived as “wrong”. Literally, no one (not me or anyone else) was ever going to be able to appease this critical voice. I also spent a large amount of time and energy on the anxiety I would experience with mixed bouts of situational depression. I felt most comfortable and safe when I was able to control everything going on in my life and around me. And I lived for the endorphins the gym could manufacture. By lived for them, I mean I could not live a single day without them.
As I moved beyond the eating disorder I really relied on the gym and fitness to make me well. I worked out 6-7 days a week for no less than an hour (an hour was a short workout) each day doing traditional weight training followed by cardio. I ate an “impeccable” {please read with sarcasm} high protein low carb diet. I followed all of the common fitness advice of taking protein powders, eating processed protein bars, being active as possible which meant over training and accompanied those behaviors with my own bad habit of daily energy drinks (or loads of diet soda). I also followed my medical doctor’s advice of taking a daily multi vitamin, vitamin C, St. John’s Wart, and Echinacea. However, my physical wellness was a struggle to maintain and if I’m being honest with myself was on a very slow but steady decline. A car accident had lead to additional chronic pain issues, more frequent and worse severe headaches, and down a long road of physical therapy and chiropractic care to return to the activity level I was dependent upon for my mental wellness. I still suffered from bronchitis several times a year, dealt with asthma, my adrenals at this point were depleted and exhausted, I still couldn’t sleep throughout the entire night except on rare occasion, my blood sugar was erratic with it dropping into the 40-50s regularly especially at 4:00 AM, my blood pressure would spike high with stress, and despite my impeccable diet my cholesterol was not within the normal range either. I was bankrupt in my career feeling over worked, under paid, and garnering little fulfillment from my position. I questioned weekly how I would ever make it to retirement which was over 30 years away. While I had found a church which I loved and adored, I still felt estranged from God and lacking community in my own life. Something just had to give because life should not have been this hard or filled with this much pain.
This is where I entered onto my path of working smarter. I witnessed the success someone else had with seeing an energy practitioner, and while I didn’t understand it I wanted it in my life. It was hands down the best investment I made in myself. My journey was slow in the beginning, but I was not seeing this practitioner more than once a month. I had a lot to learn but wasn’t studying anything on my own. I went to her and relied on her to create shifts for me. This was effective enough for me to notice differences in my mind, body, and spirit to keep me going back. Once I learned what comprised my energetic being, how this directly correlates to our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness, and empowered myself to start being able to adjust and unblock my energy on my own the flood gates of wellness opened unto me.
I have never felt better. My physical pain has wildly reduced to rarely being noticeable. My headaches are gone. My blood sugar is stable and steady enough I am able to practice intermittent fasting. I haven’t had bronchitis or been on an antibiotic since beginning the energy practice over seven years ago. Depression doesn’t exist in my life. Anxiety is very rare and when I experience it I know it’s a sign I’ve been avoiding something I shouldn’t be. My adrenals are calm and happy. Sleeping eight uninterrupted hours a night is the norm. My cholesterol and blood pressure haven’t been high in the last seven years. My diet has intuitively changed to a diet packed full of foods high in nutritional value which haven’t been processed. My relationships with others are deeper and more meaningful. The critical voice I couldn’t escape visits on a very infrequent basis. I love my work and know I am fulfilling my life purpose by helping others. My workouts are an average of 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. I shifted from surviving in every facet of my being to truly thriving.
I love myself, I love my life, and I am deeply connected to my Creator in a way I’ve never experienced before. When you are able to have peace in mind, body, soul, and spirit this is the epitome of working smarter because you aren’t working at all. You’ve successfully stepped into the natural flow of who you were created to be. May your week be a work free experience of living your true divine essence! Thanks for stopping by.
Peace & Love,
Janessa