We Can Do It All… but, Should We?

By Shanae Godley

“Joy will lead you into places, spaces, situations, activities, and people that help you feel alive, well, happy, balanced, and purposeful… When you let joy guide you, everything else in your life naturally starts to improve – your relationships, health, career, and finances.” – Bernadette Logue, Transformational Life Coach & Author

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about things that drain my joy. The question didn’t really cross my mind until I realized just how many people around me are experiencing depression. 

In the thesaurus, you can find that while joy means great happiness or pleasure, it’s antonym is depression.

The National Institute of Mental Health reported in February 2019 that over 17 million adults in America had at least one major depressive episode in the past year and I can’t help but to wonder if lifestyle has a factor to play.

Today, everyone seems to be striving for a work-life balance, which usually entails the ability to:

·         Work 40 plus hours per week and/or own a business

·         Maintain a household (whatever that may look like for you)

·         Be a good citizen

·         Have satisfying relationships

·         Engage in some sort of “self-care” routine (if there’s time)

·         Plus, follow your dreams, live a prosperous life, and smile.

Adults in America are expected to have supernatural energy, be able to live long lives, and must be willing to serve others. Many of us are trying really hard to maintain this balance and keep a handle on our joy, but it’s not easy. 

While I appreciate all that Ms. Logue says that joy can do, I clearly understand the effects of living without it. 

Some experts believe that the flip-side of joy is feeling drained, unenergetic, or without energy. So, perhaps the key to protecting your joy is to protect your energy, which can easily be depleted when you’re trying to balance all of the things going on in your life. Protecting your energy may look like one or more of these activities:

·         Planning and prioritizing, so that you don’t become overwhelmed or burned out easily

·         Eating healthy and exercising, though cliché, are still the best ways to energize the body

·         Saying No, especially to things that don’t bring you joy

·         Filling your life with things and experiences that feed your purpose

·         Taking regular vacations and spending time away from the hustle and bustle of life

·         Getting regular sleep, everyday

In addition to trying any or all of these, I encourage you to add your own energy-saving tips to the list. How do you protect your energy?

There’s no doubt that you’ll enjoy your journey a lot more when you have the energy to work and live life full out.

-Much Love, Shanae