As I mentioned in my last blog post, Reach!, January is "Reach Your Potential" month.  Today I wanted to share something that I talk about in my upcoming book.  A topic that  plagues us all and could keep us from reaching our potential- Energy Vampires.  That’s right… those folks who zap your energy and monopolize your time.  If you learn to manage your energy well, you will be managing your time well.  As my pal Jim Estill writes, time management is really energy management.

Ah, those well-meaning, but negative, people.  When you are in their presence, or talking to them on the phone, you feel your own energy being sucked right out into the ethers. After an interaction with an Energy Vampire, you might feel depressed and spiraling downward. And you vow to yourself that next time you will "cut it short" when this energy sucker comes a-calling. 

Let’s take an inventory.  Who in your life is an Energy Vampire? Sometimes our Energy Vampires are our family members- siblings, parents or even, oh my gosh!, our spouses/ partners.  They could be co-workers or friends. Whoever they are, you know that you feel a certain "doom and gloom" when they appear at your office door or your cell phone caller id.

To empower ourselves to reach our potential, we need to effectively manage our Energy Vampires to keep our own energy levels soaring high and our time free for important issues.

I coach my clients to always do a reality check after each interaction they have.  Did this experience leave me feeling good or not so good?  Do I want to spend lots of time with this person in the future?  If the answers are not so good and no, then it’s time to pull back, get busy, find positive people to be around and limit your interactions with your Energy Vampire. 

You will see some remarkable results as you keep your own energy intact.  It will propel you toward reaching your potential.

Photo by Pete Woodhead on Flickr

"Now is the time.  Now is the best time.  Now is the best time of your life." 

I love the Small World attraction at Epcot Center.  And I LOVE the positive message of it’s theme song.  When things seem to get over whelming or beyond managing, I flip on a picture in my brain of all of these little people twirling around merrily to the uplifting tune.  I remember the soulful look in their diverse eyes and am able to feel their pure love swirling around in the air. And then the magic happens…. I begin to breathe and go back to my center.  To that loving place inside that grounds me and helps me feel safe and warm.

We just lost a beloved family member after several months of round the clock care.  There were days that I was exhausted and scattered beyond belief.  For a few months I had to forget about running a demanding business or having a life.  It was overwhelming.   But, just thinking of these little happy people dancing around joyfully really helped me pull it all together and become calm and clear. Ah, the power of being in the now. This dancing tune is just one of the many centering point strategies that I have in my bag of tricks.

What about you?  When things get tough, do you have a strategy that you use to come back to center- back to now?  What do you do to make the best of it even in the face of adversity? 

Photo on Flickr

"There is no joy in living without joy in work." 

                                                                                                              – Thomas Aquinas