I don't know about you, but lately, it's taken a lot more intention to protect my energy. We are juggling so many things, career, family, teleworking, multiple zoom meetings, and homeschool. Add to that pandemic numbers climbing, and of course the election madness. It just starts to feel overwhelming.

What are you doing to protect yourself? What are you doing to protect your energy? What are you doing to protect your mind? You must protect yourself from negative stuff coming in because if you don't, it can really bring you down. 

You don't have to join in the madness! You can stay positive, you can stay relaxed, and you can keep your stress levels down if you protect your energy. 

Here are a few ways to do it:

• Protect what you're consuming. I know you hear me preach all the time about food consumption. I am not talking about that right now. I am talking about what you see, what you hear, and what you surround yourself with. Protect what you're consuming through your ears and your eyeballs. Surround yourself with positive stuff. It whether it's a podcast, a book, or it's a friend on the phone who's not going to gripe about the world with you. 
• Surround yourself with people that are going to lift you. They don't have to be people you are communicating with on a friendship level, they can come through podcasts, books, or even positive social media channels. If you protect your own energy by protecting what you're consuming through your eyes and your ears, it is going to be a game-changer for you. 
• Keep your stress levels down. I've addressed what stress does to you physically in previous blogs like What stress really does to your body. Among other things, it causes your hormones to get all out of whack, it causes your body to hold on to fat, and burn muscle. It causes fatigue and it can literally make you sick, by reducing your immune system's ability to protect you. If you're protecting your immune system, by keeping your stress level low, then the fears over COVID will subside because you'll feel stronger and healthier. You’ll feel better prepared to fight it or any other attack on your body. 
• Do something to make yourself happy every day. Do something to boost your happy hormones. Our bodies release either happy or stress hormones, not usually at the same time.

One of the best ways to release the good hormones is through exercise. Your endorphins (good hormones) spike when you’re huffing and puffing. Whether you're going to go for a hike or a bike ride around the block with your kids, get your heart rate up, get huffing and puffing and get some of those positive endorphins going through your body.

Be mindful of what you consume, not just in your mouth, but in your eyes, your ears, and the energy of the people around you. 

Control what you can control. 

Set intentions and focus daily on fueling your body for the lifestyle you want to live. Do it with healthy food, positive information, and movement! 

You’re in charge of how you feel.