Start in the Middle

Unlocking Higher Energy Levels

• Kristi Ballard Falany

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Yes, proper nutrition and better sleep are great sources of energy, but let's go beyond those and talk about creating energy. In this candid discussion, we dive into the mindset required to bring energy into every situation. From scheduling time in bite-sized chunks, taking regular breaks to indulging in physical activities, I share practical strategies to manage your energy levels effectively. 

 Plus, we delve into the transformative power of coaching and how my program could guide you in becoming the woman you were always meant to be. Come along on this journey, and let's re-energize our lives together!

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Speaker 1:

Hi, i am Kristy Ballard Fellini. I am a certified life coach who found herself at 42, freshly divorced kids off to college and having never dated in my adult life. I was starting in the middle. If you haven't yet hit start on your middle time in life, let's do it together. Let the journey begin. You are listening to Start in the Middle with me, kristy Fellini.

Speaker 1:

I am a certified trauma-informed life coach and I help midlife women to stop just letting time just pass them by. You see, not too long ago I was in a group with several different women and I posed the question are you living the life that you dreamed of? Is this the life that you thought you would have? And inevitably, when I ask people that question, they always seem to say no. And once they really think about that question, regret inevitably starts to come in. And so this is where I come in as your coach, because I help women to stop settling for the things that have been holding them back in life. I help them to level up who it is that they want to be in this second half of life. You see, midlife and we don't even realize it sometimes midlife can create so many changes for us, and so we have to be diligent with how we want to continue to show up. There's so many things like divorce happens. Generally at this time, we start to question our identity, we start to think about how much has changed whether it be that we are empty nesters or we've been in a specific career for X amount of time And we start to think about who is it that I am in this time of life and who do I want to be? Who was it that I was meant to be in this time of life? And so this is what I help my clients in within my program.

Speaker 1:

So last week on the episode and I want to tell you welcome back and I hope that you are well But last week on the podcast, i talked about taking action and I talked about the reasons why we don't take action, even if it's something that we really, really want for ourself. What is it that is keeping us from taking action? And one of the things that I talked about was resistance. Okay, and around resistance, what is it that we are worried that we are going to experience if we go ahead and do the things? A lot of times, it's fear. A lot of times, fear holds us back from what it is that we really want in life, okay, and so we choose not to take action.

Speaker 1:

All right, this week I want to expand on that idea a little bit and I want to talk to you about energy. Okay, so i wanna share with you the different ways that i bring energy Into the things that i want, and what i do when i realize that i have too much energy around something. Yes, that could be a thing, alright. So how to bring energy into a space of something that you really really want to create, or what to do when you discover that you have too much energy around a particular circumstance or around a particular thing that you have going on in your life. Both of these are important, because bringing energy into something is what will help you when you're not feeling motivated, or when you are resisting, or when you are procrastinating, when you really want the end result and you know that it is for you, but you're just not motivated at that time to do what it takes to get it done. This is when i find that i need to create energy.

Speaker 1:

So let's first talk about the two basic resources of energy. Okay, it's sleep and food, right? So first thing that i wanna ask you is have you closely monitored your quality of sleep? Because, to be perfectly honest with you, i didn't realize how many times it was that i was actually waking up in the night. Okay, like i'm talking about those times when hubby rolls over because he's awake, you know, and you don't even realize, like, how many times you actually wake up When the other person in bed with you wakes up as well, okay. Or if you're like me and you're in peri and menopause or menopause, how many times you wake up your sleep is disrupted by those hot flashes. Okay, whether it be that you know Lightly wake up to kick your foot out or throw the covers off, or you wake up freezing and decide, oh my gosh, i need the covers back on, right, all of those things contribute to our quality of sleep. So, as i mentioned, i did not realize how many times my sleep was disturbed during the night and i did just a quick little study over a couple of days. It was like a seven, seven day period Where i did a quick study just on my apple watch, okay, and it was i opening, and so with that information, you know, my husband and i get to decide what it is that we want to do? moving forward about that, about, you know, creating a better quality of sleep.

Speaker 1:

Okay, your next energy resource food, right? so since discovering about a year and a half ago that I had an autoimmune disease, i've really been paying attention to my diet, and I can tell you that I can physically feel a difference in my energy level when I eat foods that are not within my protocol and foods that, yes, i do love, but I can tell the difference in my body. So how does this mess with my energy cycle? well, it can look like really slow in me down, because I've got some, you know stomach issues, or me having to take frequent what? restroom breaks because I ate something that I shouldn't have, or, overall, just the heaviness And the la farge that comes along with eating some of the foods that I know don't bring me good energy. Okay, so these are two things that you can closely monitor and you can think about when you are looking at your energy levels.

Speaker 1:

All right, now, i am not a physician and so I'm not going to give you physical advice on your sleep habits or on your food intake, but these are just two things that I would encourage you to look at when you are looking at your energy levels, and if this is something that you are noticing in yourself, it's probably something that is a good idea to bring up to your physician, okay, but what I want to talk to you about today is creating energy, bringing energy into something that you want to create more energy around. Now, you know, as your coach, the first thing that I'm going to ask you or question you about, when we are looking at bringing energy into a specific situation, the first thing I'm going to ask you is what is your mindset around that situation? What is it that you are thinking about when you think of that particular circumstance? Now, what I'm talking about is maybe it's a visit to the in-laws, right, and you're feeling like I just don't have the energy for that. Let's talk about it. Let's talk about what is your mindset around that. Maybe it's wanting to lose weight, okay, and you're thinking I just don't have the energy to try one more diet, and so I'm going to talk to you about your mindset around that, okay. So today I want to share with you some ideas beyond mindset of how I bring energy into something that I really want, once I have decided that I love the end result, or I love you know the way that it's going to make me feel when I have created that particular thing in my life. How can I, on a day to day, bring energy into creating those results? So let me give you some examples.

Speaker 1:

Okay, a completed podcast. Alright, that is one of the things that I absolutely love doing in my business. This is the hundred and third episode. I have missed one week, one week out of a hundred and three episodes, and so this takes a lot of energy, it takes a lot of creative time, it takes a lot of focus and research on creating a hundred and three episodes. So how am I going to bring energy into that situation? Okay, maybe for you it looks like having a clean house. Maybe it looks like finishing a project at work that seems to be taking forever.

Speaker 1:

Or maybe it's a time block. I know when I was teaching, this was extremely important for me because I had a specific amount of time blocked off for each subject. And how am I going to create energy within that time block to keep going? Okay, so here are some things that you can do to create more energy in these spaces. Thank you, okay, this first technique is a technique that my own coach taught me and I use it frequently.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so it's to schedule your time in shorter chunks Okay, and my coach suggests scheduling your time blocks into 20 to 25 minute intervals Okay, and in between those intervals, you take a five minute break Okay. He also suggests that you only do three intervals in one time block, because, realistically thinking about it, you know, 25 times three is 75 minutes, and that's a lot of time to devote to a specific project where you are working steadfast during that entire time. Okay, so only do three at a time in one setting, but also do it for 25 minutes with a five minute break. Okay. So what are you going to do in between those intervals? What are you going to do during that five minutes to create more energy? How about take a walk around the block, get outside, feel the breeze, get up from your chair and leave that space, create a state change where you are leaving the space that you are currently in, and then come back in that five minutes. If you're in a workspace where you have coworkers, take a five minute break and just go have a chat. Be sure that you honor your time, though, and make sure that you only utilize that five minutes. All right, try something physical. Blast up your favorite tune, turn on some music, sing along with it, have a short dance party, get some physical movement during that five minutes, then get back on task.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so, not too long ago, i was doing a 90 day challenge with some people in one of my mentor groups. This is when we were all getting up at 5 am. So how am I going to create energy for myself at 5 am? The first thing that I did was I never hit snooze. Okay, as soon as I found out how hitting that snooze button really messes up your circadian rhythm. I have never hit snooze since then, because I don't like being tired during the day. All right so, but here's the important part. Here's how I created energy for myself at 5 am.

Speaker 1:

The first thing that I did once I got up out of bed was I trudged myself into my office, i immediately put on my headphones and I turned on the song Happy Dance by Mercy Me. And while I was listening to that song and if you listen to that song, you're gonna figure out why, but while I was listening to that song I immediately put on my workout clothes And as soon as the song was over, i was ready to bust out my workout. I was ready to get my workout done when I was following that energy routine. I had my workout finished by six am And so I had brought that energy into that space where normally you I, would either still be asleep Or I might be sipping on my coffee, wishing that I was still asleep.

Speaker 1:

So utilize that, utilize physical, mute movement and utilize music To help you get into that state of energy. In fact, i use music a lot to help me keep up my energy. I have a specific practice that I follow even before I get on my zoom calls with my clients. I have three different songs that I rotate and it really depends on how I'm feeling that day and what My body tells me I physically need before I get on a call. But I have three specific songs that I rotate because the words in that song Help me to center my thinking, they help me to feel grounded, they help me to be a hundred percent present. As soon as I hit that, go on my zoom call and as soon as I see my clients, okay. So these are different practices that you can borrow, that you can use, that you can get inspiration from to help you to create more energy throughout your day.

Speaker 1:

Okay, now let's talk on the flip side, on the side where you have too much energy around something. Okay, whether it be that there are times when I am super, super passionate or excited about a project, that I can work for hours on that project. Or maybe, if I'm working on a project and I notice that I feel stumped about a particular concept, i will continue to work on it until I feel like I've got the right solution or I've got the perfect fix that I was looking for. Okay, and this is when my brain creates too much energy. Got it? Okay, this is where i can get consumed in my thoughts, where i let those problems or situations faster in my mind. And now, remember, your brain wants to solve all of the problems for you, so it'll keep at it until you've exhausted yourself, or maybe you've even ditched the whole idea because you're thinking, if i can't figure it out, maybe it's not worth the trouble, right? so this is when your brain creates too much energy around something. The same can be true when you're dealing with other people.

Speaker 1:

Okay, say, when you think that there is a problem in any one of your relationships, and your brain constantly goes back to that last conversation That you just can't get out of your head, and so your brain keeps thinking about the conversation from every single angle and wants to help you solve the problem, and it wants to bring up all those responses that you could have possibly made. This is when your brain tries to create too much energy around something okay, both of these that i gave you. Whether it be a project that you're working on or maybe a personal relationship, this is where your brain creates too much energy, and it can cause you to either feel burnt out, can cause some resentment those types of things that you obviously don't want in your life. So i have a couple of tips for you when you find yourself giving away too much energy. Okay, and these tips they'll work for both scenarios, okay. So the first thing i want to tell you is give yourself some space. Remove yourself from the situation for however long that it takes.

Speaker 1:

If it's a project that isn't turning out the way that you hope, find a way to take your mind off of it for a while, take a break and then come back to it Again. Maybe take a walk, or just go sit outside and grab some of that vitamin D. You can also find something to do with your hands. Personally, i like to color Actually do have adult coloring books and i have colored pencils that i love to utilize to help me to get my mind off of something. I also crochet. Maybe go dig in the dirt, maybe repot some plants that need some bigger spaces. Find something that you can do with your hands, finding something else to focus on. Maybe read a book on a totally different subject until you're ready to return.

Speaker 1:

When you're ready to return, your mind is going to be so much clearer. It's going to give you an opportunity to help you to come back to the situation with an open mind, with an open heart, to help you to see clear to the possible solutions. And the last one i would say is ask for help. Never be afraid to ask for help. If it's a work project, reach out to your peers and ask what do you think or how would you handle this? Or ask your coach i am always here to help you find a different perspective on any situation, even when you think things like i should be able to figure this out. Having a different set of eyes or ears on any situation can help you to think with a clear, more open mind about any situation.

Speaker 1:

Having a coach can help you navigate life. It can help you with the breakthrough on the things that you may not even realize are holding you back from who you were truly meant to be at this stage in your life, or having an amazing life that you did not even know was possible. So i encourage you reach out to a coach, get the help. The last thing that i want to leave you with, and this one, is a don't.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so when you are needing to bring energy to something, or when you find you have too much energy around something, don't pick up your phone. Okay, the last thing that you wanna do. When you know that you could use an energy boost or when you need less energy around a specific topic, don't pick up your phone, because you know what happens. You're gonna start scrolling emails, you're gonna start scrolling Facebook, you're gonna start scrolling Instagram, and you know all of these are just buffers to continue to help you to resist, and it'll cause you to head on down a rabbit hole, which does nothing but waste time for us. All right, so the last little note that I wanted to give you.

Speaker 1:

For those of you who are suffering from any number of menopause symptoms or autoimmune symptoms that could be zapping any of your energy, i encourage you to try these techniques, but also consult your physician to see if there is something else going on. All right, you guys have an amazing day. Remember that you can always reach me on my website, christyphilanicoachingcom. That's K-R-I-S-T-I F as in Frank A-L-A-N-Y coachingcom. I also have a free gift for you when you access my website, up in the top right-hand corner. I encourage you to take the mindset quiz. It's going to help you to identify your particular type of mindset at midlife and how it could be holding you back from the woman that you were meant to be. You guys have a great day. Who is your life coach? I would love the opportunity to work with you as you are rediscovering the woman you were meant to be. Visit Christyballardfilanicom for more information on how we can work together to ignite that passionate, enthusiastic woman who may have been tucked away for some time. Let's start in the middle together, nearly there.