Tired? Try Flipping the Script

Inner Fire Series Week 3 - Energy Management: Self-care, rest, and balance

Rebalancing with Grandma on the cusp of her 95th birthday- a brisk walk followed by ice cream (in a cone, of course).

Hey Uplifters!

Every Friday morning, my friend

Kara Cutruzzula

and I telephone each other and sort out our weeks while we get a run in. You can hear why it’s a cornerstone of our weeks in our conversation on The Uplifters Podcast.

The call usually begins with some version of, “How was your week?” My answer last Friday was, “It wasn’t.” This time of year is such a jumble of activity and even our non-negotiable routines get negotiated: When? Where? How? Too tired. Too hot. Too busy. And then we wonder why everything feels So. Freaking. Hard.

This brings us to part 3 of our series: Energy Management: Self-care, rest, and balance.

Maybe this will make more sense if I tell you a story about a squirrel who tumbled into my aunt’s atrium last week. He felt trapped and wanted out (relatable), so he made a beeline for the drain spout and scurried up, but time and time again, he missed the ledge and tumbled back down, bumping his noggin enough times that he looked like he’d been in the ring with Mike Tyson. I give him credit for his persistence, but in this case, it wasn’t getting him anywhere.

He was so singlemindedly focused on summiting the drain pipe that he didn’t notice my aunt and her friend frantically leaning a ladder and a trellis against the walls of the atrium, building new escape routes for him.

Squirrels are an awful lot like Uplifters. We are clever, creative, and resourceful. But, like this little guy, we can get so focused on what’s right in front of us that we completely exhaust ourselves. Our myopic focus blinds us to all the other possibilities around us and the support available to us. We mistakenly dig our claws in, do more, and work harder when what we need most of all is a change of pace- time to journal, stare at birds, walk aimlessly, doodle, take a nap, in short: we need to do the opposite of what’s breaking us down.

Flip the Script

As Uplifters, we often find ourselves fully immersed in activities that require intense focus, empathy, and creative thinking. A great way to stay focused and energized in these activities is to take just 5-10 minutes to flip your energy on its head.

If you need permission to rest and rebalance, consider it granted! I promise it’ll reward you with a new perspective!

Want more?

Need ideas for building self-care routines that you want to do? Read this newsletter, which includes my grandma’s secrets for building a long, healthy life structured around joyful self-care practices and backed up by my research study into the self-care practices of hundreds of Uplifters.

Need a hype song for your rebalancing? Maybe this will do the trick.

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This is part three of a 10-part series on Burnout.

Check out part one here to assess your current burnout risk and learn the costs and symptoms of burnout. Check out part two here to learn a clarifying sieve for filtering your yes’s and no’s. Stay tuned for the rest of our series, where we will cover:

4. SlayCrastination: Building routines to stay focused  (Sorry for the name, but I have a 13-year-old)

5. Time Mastery: Planning, prioritizing, ninja productivity 

6. Boundary Boss: Protecting your time from energy vampires

7. Stress Detox: Mindfulness, relaxation, and coping skills

8. Boundary Buddies: Cultivating encouragement and accountability  

9. Doing it is Crushing it: Recognizing progress + self-compassion

10. Hotter Every Day: Long-term fire-tending strategies

Follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn for lots more stories of courageous Uplifters and simple strategies for keeping your inner fire burning hot.

Your Next Uplifter

Our next episode of The Uplifters Podcast is headed your way this Thursday. I can’t wait to introduce you to Sarah Krasley, the founder of Shimmy Technologies. You’ll hear what happened when she watched the first iteration of her business get trapped in a corner like our little squirrel friend and how stepping back and reevaluating led her to a breakthrough that’s changing lives and reshaping economies.

Uplift Your Life!

🌟 Wear your inspiration with an Uplifter necklace. Treat yourself or gift one HERE.

💡 Need clarity on your vision? Explore private coaching to illuminate your next chapter HERE.

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Paid Subscriber Bonuses You’ll Find in Today’s Newsletter

✨ As always, all of my writing is free and you can listen to every episode of the podcast for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or wherever you get your podcasts. For those of you who are more visual or want to take a deeper dive with our guests and who want to support this work with a paid subscription, you’ll find the extended-cut video of my conversation with Dr. Emily Bailey below.

✨ Our June Subscriber Workshop featured

Rachel Lipson

founder of Brooklyn Family Travelers! She taught us how to travel almost for free using points and miles strategically! This workshop was amazing! Catch the recording below, along with some great offers from Rachel.

✨ Our July Subscriber Workshop will feature some of the amazing authors from Uplifters Live- Tai Abrams, Rahti Gorfien, Julie Hughes, and Alison Relyea who will share their journeys to birthing a book baby to help us bring our own little bundles to the world! Details and link below.

Hugs and high-fives,

Aransas