This week’s SNAP is all about energy, and the idea of an energy exchange. Why? Well, energy is one of the most essential resources for our own sustainability. This is the last topic in our series of articles about the idea of personal sustainability. I’ve discussed the other aspects of personal sustainability in previous posts, namely values (identity), integrity and social relationships or community.
Let’s start with ourselves
We have a big challenge in the world we live in. We know we have to make how we live and the way we use the planet’s resources more sustainable. But how can we be up to that challenge unless we can sustain ourselves first? Personal sustainability is about being healthy, having good values and being connected (in all the different senses). It’s also about having the energy, vitality and motivation to tackle these problems.
Energy, vitality and motivation are also essential in our day-to-day lives, enabling us to be happy, healthy and resilient. So it’s a win-win situation, we can set ourselves up for success in tackling the world’s meaningful problems by thinking about our personal sustainability, and in particular our energy. Energy is absolutely vital if we are to meet these challenges.
The energy exchange
Energy is an energy exchange. We give energy away and we take energy from other things. As a professional speaker, I know that speaking is an energy exchange, where I feed off the energy my audience gives me, and the audience feeds off my energy. I ask you to start thinking about this energy exchange point. Where is your energy going? What people, places and things take energy from you? I like to refer to these as energy drains. Are you happy with how your energy is being spent?
Energy is a finite resource
Although energy is a renewable resource, it’s a finite resource. All our energy comes from one place, there’s not a separate pot for work, for family, for workouts, or socialising. Once depleted, we have to rest and recover. The next thing to ask yourself is, are you happy with where your energy is going? If not, maybe there are some changes you can make.
What can you do to renew your energy?
Think about what people, places and things give you energy and light you up, helping renew your energy. I like to call these energy radiators.
What’s your energy exchange?
We are nothing without energy, and most of us would like more of it. So, when you think about your personal sustainability, try and ponder on these big but important questions and what your energy exchange looks like:
Where is your energy going?
Are you happy with the direction it’s going in?
What people, places or things are your energy drains and energy radiators?
How will you renew the energy that you expend?
Renewable energy, renewable people
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