My body decided it was done with that kind of stress and promptly gave out. So I spent thousands of dollars and a lot of time healing and learning the all-too-important concept of self-care.



Today I find that many of my clients suffer from the same kinds of challenges too much to do, not enough time, and some form of health challenges.

In order to conquer this thing called stress, there a few proactive energy enhancing strategies that can make a huge difference. All smart business owners know the power of proactive planning and planning for more energy is just as important. Just think of what will happen to your business and livelihood if you let the stress get the best of your body's most precious commodity - energy.

Here are the top 10 energy enhancing habits I learned that I practice religiously.

1. Exercise.

Personally I suck at working out alone so I have a trainer that I meet with 2 - 3 times a week. I have a great little gym called Topanga Fitness (where you can rub elbows with Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell). I also find that yoga is great for helping me feel more balanced and energized.

2. Eating.

Like a car, your engine runs better when you have premium fuel. My energy can soar or plummet based on what I'm feeding myself. Eating well doesn't come naturally so I have to plan. I eat 5 small meals a day, lots of veggies and have virtually eliminated sugar and caffeine (except for my green tea in the AM.) Not only does this help my energy but it also helps me keep my girlish figure. =-)

3. Nutrition.

I'm big on supplements because we don't tend to get as much from our food sources as our ancestors did. I use Sun Chlorella, Omega 3 oils, COQ10 and a balance of high quality vitamins and minerals. My two biggest energy enhancers: digestive enzymes and pro-biotics! I actually keep a bag in my purse with all my goodies so I'm never without them.

4. Hydration.

I drink up to 2 gallons of alkaline water daily. This is crucial for me and I notice a huge energy dip if I'm short even a couple of glasses a day. This is so huge for me I even invested in an alkaline water machine to help my body keep its proper PH balance.

5. Massage.

This is my life saver. Every other week I visit my massage therapist for a 60 to 90 minute massage. I feel like a million bucks the next day. Of course I have a mandatory spa day at least once every other month too. Pressed for cash? Find a local massage school but don't cheat yourself out of this one!

6. Meditation.

Every day, even it is just for 5 minutes, I meditate. Connection to my source centers and grounds me and causes me to be more powerful as a coach and business owner throughout my day. When I feel powerful I have more energy. Go figure.

7. Mindset.

I make a regular practice of getting the right coaches, healing practitioners and specialists that help me focus my inner game in the right direction. It is amazing how many old beliefs can creep in and take you out of your game if your focus goes awry.

8. Space.

Every week I create space in my calendar that has nothing planned. It is vital and essential because without unplanned blocks of time my creativity disintegrates. Without my space, I work too much all at once and get exhausted. I know now how much space I need in order to be at my best and I plan for it.

9. Environment.

Our environment (home, community, friends, family, etc.) can either make or break our energy. We can't always control who or what is in our environment but being aware of "problem areas" can hugely affect our ability to proactively handle potential energy drains.

I also recommend doing a Clean Sweep Challenge to identify any potential blind spots.

10. Passion. How do you feel when you do things that you love to do? If you want a quick energy burst, make time for something you have a deep love for. For me this can be anything from playing with my niece to dancing to having a nice lunch overlooking the ocean with a friend.

Here is my coaching challenge for you. Take at least one of these new habits and try it on each week.