Energy Conservation for Humans // Part 2: Prioritizing and Debunking the Myth of Infinite Capacity
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Welcome back!
Now that we’ve explored the philosophical side of energy conservation, let’s dive into some more practical stuff. I’m sharing these approaches because they come up really frequently in working with clients — so often that I wanted to share them more broadly.
Of course, every person has different experiences, goals, symptom triggers, support systems, etc. Together in therapy, we are able to get really specific on strategies that are personalized to your body and life. However, you can definitely get started with exploring these ideas.
Here we go!
1) Decide your priorities.
You cannot do it all. Obvious? Perhaps. But how many times have you acted like you could do it all and been upset when you felt like you were failing? That’s because somewhere deep within, most of us believe that doing it all is achievable and somehow connected to our worth. I’ll call this the Myth of Infinite Capacity.
Writer, teacher, and advocate Rebekah Taussig names one pervasive, cultural manifestation of this myth: the “Full-Time Working Adult system.” And she observes that this ableist standard does harm to so many people, including:
[B]odies in pain, bodies swaddled in depression and anxiety, bodies that get pregnant, need to breastfeed, have periods, get cramps and headaches, bodies that move and process slower than others… (Sitting Pretty, p. 132)
Some of our bodies and brains reveal the limits of being human more quickly or obviously than others, but they are real for us all. Especially on hard days or in more challenging seasons, we are forced to be more discerning with how we use our physical, mental, and emotional energies.
It’s true: you cannot do it all. And that’s okay and beautiful because you are human! You can choose what is important and what doesn’t matter as much right now (the second part is key!). Once you unmask the ridiculous Myth of Infinite Capacity, you can actually make empowered choices from an honest, self-compassionate place.
In that place, there is room to listen to your own life and body speaking.
ACTION STEPS:
Take time to figure out what is most important right now for YOU. Grab your journal (or a scrap piece of paper) and answer these questions honestly:
What are the non-negotiables that must happen today?
What would have the greatest positive impact on your reality?
What can be set aside?
Check out Energy Conservation for Humans // Part 1: Exposing Ableism While Putting on Your Pants Sitting Down if you missed reading it!
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