***Reviving Your Energy and Your Spirit

"Life will always be to a large extent what we ourselves make it."
- Samuel Smiles

Do you often find yourself doing more then you have time to complete? Are you always late to appointments and find yourself rushing here and there to beat the clock? Have you asked yourself why this happens?

The beginning of a new year is always a good time to revive your energy and your spirit. Take time now to look at your daily habits. If you let yourself be led by consistent challenges to your time you give up your opportunity for peace.

Living a life that is peaceful, calm, and thoughtful is a great way to build energy. By concentrating on one task at a time and giving that task your full attention is the way to revive your spirit. Working from a point of peace and calmness works miracles simply because it is most beneficial to your health, energy, and your spirit.

By doing so you experience less physical illness, and all the stress that comes from living in a constant negative state. You can then enjoy and experience more peace in your life.

Here are five helpful exercises to practice.

1. Plan a specific time to do just one task. Concentrate fully on that single task. This way the task gets done more efficiently, with less energy wasted, and gives you more opportunity to relax and enjoy the time you devote to completing it. Drifting from one task to another doesn't allow you time to find deep satisfaction and the motivation to do your best work.

2. When someone is talking to you, either on the telephone or person-to-person, or when you are reading, writing, answering your email messages, listening to the radio, looking at television, surfing the internet, etc., stop whatever you are doing and take the time to really listen.

3. Take full advantage of all life has to offer. Open your mind, your heart, and your spirit to enjoy each and every experience that comes your way. Never regret the years when you may have let an opportunity pass you by. Time has a way of stealing your life away, or shortening it. Then it may be too late and you may not have as many accomplishments to show for it.

4. Try not to avoid hard work thinking that you might save energy and time for the things you like doing. Instead, think of the hard work as a growing stage. It allows you to accomplish worthwhile goals. It is the foundation for action.

5. Look into the patterns you may have that contribute to wasted energy. Poor concentration; anxiety and tension, daydreaming, and conflict are a few. Once you notice these routine behavior patterns it is easier to see how they do not add any benefits to your life.

The quality of energy and spirit you put into your work, and the attention you give to others while fully listening will be more satisfying. When you focus with all your heart on one task at a time, you gain satisfaction from a job efficiently done.

Learning to use your energy wisely, with patience, consistency and with a true spirit of enjoyment, will reap you huge benefits at the end. When you challenge your time to give yourself a calm and a peaceful mind, you are well on your way to reviving your energy and spirit.