What to Do When You're Feeling Burned Out

 Lately I've felt run-down in a really bad way. It is difficult when you are always known as "Miss Positivity" or "Little Miss Sunshine" or "Polyanna" to go through a slump. My alarm goes off and I want to throw it across the room...I don't know how I will get through another day. I fantasize about what I want to do when I get out of work, but when I get home, all I want to do is vegetate on the bed, closing out the world. I have a faint imprint in my mind of a different time, an old, not recently used neural pathway of enthusiasm for life that flickers like a burning out neon sign...looks like it could come back and then just snaps back into darkness, my mind a flutter with negative, self-defeating thoughts. I know, I know, not the most inspiring or uplifting story for someone who is supposed to inspire and encourage others.

I have dissected this backwards and forwards. Some well-meaning people might suggest that I go get some Prozac, and while I have the utmost respect for people who choose to take anti-depressant medications to manage their moods, for me, I see my feelings as indicators telling me when things are going well or not so well for me in my life. I remember a time a year or so ago when I would bound out of bed at 5:00am, ready to tackle my day. I immersed myself in my development as a coach, taking classes, working on my blog, working with clients, networking with people. I trained for half-marathons and other races. I went out with my friends on a daily basis and was filled with energy and enthusiasm for life.

And then....work picked up. My thoughts began to shift in another direction and I started to feel overwhelmed and resentful....As I said, I have looked at this from every perspective, but the bottom line is, I was in a good place and now I'm in a bad place and I want to figure out how to get from "bad" to "good"...to put things in simple terms.

Then tonight, I came across the following quote, and something clicked in my mind, firing up that old neural pathway of enthusiasm for life....

Tiredness is a kind of sickness...It is not a matter of how long we sleep that determines whether we feel tired. It is a waste and negative thoughts and actions that create tiredness. Create positive thoughts and elevated actions and you will take strength from that, and your tiredness will leave you.   -Dadi Janki

Ahhhhhh  yessssss....what I intuitively know, but was having a hard time putting into words. I was filled with energy and enthusiasm before because I was driven by a passion and purpose for life. While I won't bore you with all of the minute details of my life, what I can basically deduce was that when I moved in with my fiance, I experienced a little bit of role confusion, not knowing how to reconcile my two different lives- that of young single professional and domesticated wife-to-be. I felt a lack of balance and while I used to have enough energy to plow through complications at work, my role confusion coupled with increased demands left me feeling depleted. And the circle of negative thoughts perpetuated itself (as we know negative thoughts have a habit of doing).

So, what to do?

Reignite passion. Remember WHY I used to bound out of bed in the morning. Identify my passions and make time to do them....For me, (some of) my passions include:

1. Writing
2. Coffee
3. Running
4. Spending time with my friends
5. Creating
6. Reading things that inspire me
7. Yoga
8. Connecting people
9. Art
10. Trying new things
11. Researching and teaching others about nutrition
12. Nature
13. The city
14. Music

I have completely neglected some of these things, especially writing and coaching, which put me in a complete state of flow, where I feel completely fulfilled and purposeful.

So, sometimes, feeling tired is really a state of mind...to give yourself more energy,  you have to "act as if" you are an energetic person until you feel that way...because remember, an object in motion stays in motion, and an object at rest, stays at rest. Once you gain some momentum, you won't remember why your bed felt so good :)

My Divine Diet | Crazy Sexy Life

The power of transforming and healing raw foods!

My Divine Diet | Crazy Sexy Life

Raw, Nice and Easy | Crazy Sexy Life

If the prospect of going raw overnight intimidates you, check out this informative article...the author chunks the transition to going raw into 30 day increments, a little more raw with each step...should make the transition seem seamless and easy if you would like to ease your body into raw rather than shocking your system into detox.

Raw, Nice and Easy | Crazy Sexy Life

Taking it Outside! Yoga in Nature

This weekend, Dean, a friend and yoga teacher in training, took us on a yoga adventure at the lake. I loved the idea of it, but had a few reservations about yoga in a remote location- bugs, sweat, braving the elements. 

 We unloaded our coolers and yoga mats and hiked about a mile into the woods. It was warm and we were already hot and sweaty...My friend Ryan and I were wondering if we would ever make it to our destination, which Dean assured us would be worth all of the work. 

We finally made it to a little clearing, which overlooked the lake. It was serene and beautiful. Although only minutes from the city, there were none of the traffic sounds and the constant buzz of activity that we are used to hearing on a constant basis.

 Dean led us into a series of yoga poses and ended with a meditation. I found it surprisingly easy to find my center listening to the familiar sounds of nature- birds chirping, the sounds of the water, trees rustling. Being in the outdoors helped my body to naturally calm and let go of the stressors of my week. I found my breath deepening and connecting to the poses that I was doing. I was mindful and present.

We ended the day with a picnic, plenty of fruits and veggies to replenish and rehydrate. We have plans to take our yoga practice outside while the weather permits. It allowed us to connect with nature and become more mindful of our practice. 

2012 Life Map

It's been awhile since I've posted anything, and I'm feeling the disappointment of a failed New Years resolution from last year (to blog consistently). But, I'm not the kind of person who cannot NOT make New Years resolutions. It keeps me inspired, motivated, and more likely than not to reach my personal goals. So, to get back into this, I decided to create a post to catch everyone who may be reading this up on what has transpired in the last year and what I hope to accomplish and become this year.

In 2011:

1) Ran a 25K.

2) Enlisted in a program to become a certified health/nutrition coach.

3)Networked with a lot of like-minded people.

4) Started a new relationship.

5) Developed several new friendships.

6) Visited New York City (something on my life list last year).

7) made it another year in a fast paced managerial position.

8) drank lots of green smoothies.

9) grew my own herb garden.

10) spent lots of time with my family.

11) got a puppy

12) spent less time with people who drain me

13) did the "29" gifts project    

14) Learned to spend time with myself.

This year, my intentions are to:

1) Graduate as a certified health coach in February.

2) Build my practice.

3) Develop the Common Unity Center

4) Run more

5) Practice gratitude.

6) Do another 29 Gifts Project

7) Practice yoga

8) Eat lots of raw foods

9) Run more races

10) develop a meditation practice

11) go on more walks

12) Write a book (I'm good at writing, but waiting for the right subject to come to me) 
13) Drink one green smoothie a day.
14) Spend lots of time with my friends.
15) Make new friends
16) Develop a clear vision of what is and is not for my higher good...purging those things that no longer serve a purpose in my life.
17) Blog consistently...yes, I am trying again :) At least 3 times per week.
18) Eventually transition to JUST helping people create healthy balanced lives.
19) Create my own schedule when I get up every morning.
20) Appreciate other people
21) Forgive more- others and myself
22) Actually read A Course in Miracles
23) Use my planner
24) Eliminate clutter
25) Create peace on the inside, so I can experience peace on the outside as well.

A daunting list, but I find the more things I put on my list, the more I can cross off...it gains momentum and makes me a better person.  I find it helpful to give myself some direction and a vision for where I want my life to go...I feel that 2011 was a year that a lot of people went through a lot of turmoil (myself included), almost a purging, that paved the way for a lot of transformation and positive change in 2012.

So, here is to a new year....it feels like a blank slate and I plan to make the best of it!

Paying Personal Attention

"Our relationship with ourselves is as important as any other relationship in our lives. It is easy to think that since we take ourselves wherever we go, we don't have to schedule time with ourselves. The truth is, that time spent in the company of others is attention we pay to our other relationships, and if we don't have time for ourselves then we deprive ourselves of our own company. It is during these moments that we stop hearing what we are saying, and we slowly begin to lose our center. Our other relationships begin to suffer because if we can't be present to ourselves, chances are that we won't be present to others."  -Daily Om

So often, I hear what I most need to hear when I most need to hear it. The last couple of weeks, I have been running on empty, so to speak. Things that once gave me great joy have seemed burdensome. Inspiration was not forthcoming. I felt an increased need for sleep and found myself stealing quick naps whenever I could, which is not like me at all!

These were all red flags for me, as I am typically a pretty upbeat and positive person, excited about my life and seeing opportunity everywhere. I started combing through the details of my life, looking for something that was different, something that had occurred, something I had eaten...I couldn't find anything! I was busy, but that wasn't unusual. My life seemed the same pattern- a daily weaving of work, running, coaching, friendships, personal development, and writing.

I dug deeper...there had to be something! I didn't discover it until this morning. I woke up early and carved out time to read, reflect, journal, and just LISTEN to myself. The last 2-3 weeks, I had convinced myself I was too busy and needed sleep. Therefore, this hour had been cut out of my day. I saw it as an indulgence, a luxury, a precious hour during which I could sleep or cram another hour of activity into.

But sitting here, this morning, in the stillness I sensed something different, a peace, a stillness, an inspired way to start my day. And I wasn't cognizant of it until I read the above passage from Daily Om.

It doesn't have to be at the beginning of the day, but it is so vital to our well-being to carve out time for our own personal care. If we don't spend time listening to ourselves and recharging our batteries, we are going to expend all of our energy without ever replenishing it. This makes us useless to both ourselves and others.

Can you find 20-30 minutes to carve out for yourself today? If you have a family that places a lot of demands on your time, maybe it is in the morning before the kids wake up. Maybe it's stopping at a coffee shop or bookstore on the way home from work. Finding ways to restore yourself will help you be more effective, productive, and loving when you return to the world.

Community Supported Agriculture

 Cut down on the cost of produce, develop a relationship with your local farmers, and help preserve our environment...join a CSA!


Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a great way to save money on produce while making an environmentally conscious choice. With community supported agriculture, the community member makes an investment in the farm and the farmer's salary in return for a "share" of the crop. Typically, this consists of a weekly delivery of produce for a season. It can be an economically sound decision as the investment can often be shared with another person or family. In addition, it keeps money circulating locally and cuts down on the resources needed to transport produce when purchased locally.

You can find out more about CSA's and find a local CSA farm by visiting The United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library .

Another benefit...Research has shown that the fresher the produce, the more nutrient dense! Reducing travel time ensures that you are getting the freshest produce possible and by developing a relationship with the farmer, you become familiar with his farming practices, including what kind of pesticides (if any) are being used.