Career Flow Collective

How might you respond differently to what drains your energy?

The Career Flow Collective

Hello [[contact.first_name|default: "there"]],

Rest is not idleness. - John Lubbock

Sometimes we don’t realize how much of our energy is spent in a motion that takes us nowhere.

When we experience unpleasant situations or interactions, our body and mind move into a familiar stress response to protect us. And unless we notice it, we can end up “camping out” there longer than we need to.

Over the past two weeks, you’ve been exploring two important practices:

noticing when activities or interactions drain your energy
experimenting with small moments of rest and recovery

Both help you become more aware of your patterns — what I jokingly call our “camping habits.” (Though you’ll never find me in a tent in the woods. I prefer a barrier between me and bugs.)

Continue micro-dosing rest throughout this week, especially in ways that align with your natural rhythms. You may notice that your mind and body are beginning to expect — or even welcome — those breaks.

Now that you’ve experienced both energy drains and energy recovery, we can begin exploring something new: How might we respond differently to the experiences that drain us?

Do small things with great love,

Eileen Murphy

Reflection

Have you ever noticed when you’re sick or totally exhausted, how your mood is different? Let’s reverse that idea and explore what becomes possible when we have more energy.

Journal on the following prompts related to micro-dosing rest and creating space for breaks:

Looking back on last week, what did you notice about how rest or small breaks affected your energy, mood, or outlook during the day?
What did these moments of rest reveal about what you need to stay steady, focused, or well during the day?
If you treated rest as an important part of sustaining energy, what might you begin to protect or prioritize differently in your day?

Activity

Last week you focused on noticing and validating a recurring draining activity or interaction.

This week we’ll build on that awareness by exploring different ways to respond to it.

Often what makes unpleasant situations draining is that they activate stress — sometimes because we feel a lack of control, pressure to perform, or tension with others.

The good news is that we are not limited to one response.

A helpful framework for navigating stressful situations is known as the 4 A’s of stress management:

Adapt: Change your thoughts, behaviors, or expectations of the situation
Alter: Take action to change the situation
Avoid: identify and escape from the situation that tends to trouble you
Accept: acknowledge what’s beyond your control and shift to control what you can

Mayo Clinic Staff. (n.d.). Stress management: How the 4 A’s can help you cope. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/

Consider the following questions:

Acceptance: What is within my control? What part of this situation cannot be controlled?
Alter: What might I change or communicate differently to improve this situation?
Adapt: Is there another way to view this situation? Which of my values feels out of alignment?
Avoid: What boundary or prevention could reduce this next time?

This week, spend some time exploring your ideas within each of these buckets. Flesh out what feels resonant and possible for you. You do not need to take any action this week but explore.

Optional Reset Practice

Breathwork
Take one minute for energizing belly breaths at the start of your workday.

Movement
Try a gentle seated twist to release tension and encourage circulation.

Grounding
Place your feet firmly on the floor before a meeting. Imagine roots growing into the ground beneath you.

Throughout the program, I’ll continue sharing simple reset practices like these as reminders to support your energy during the workday.

(You can always return to the Reset Practice Reference Guides here.)

Lingering Thought

If your body could vote on your daily schedule, what would it immediately veto?
James Clear

This question can reveal surprising insight into what your body is asking you to release so your energy can flourish.

2105 Wilmette Avenue | Wilmette, IL | United States | 60091

This email was sent to [[contact.email]] because you've subscribed on our site or participated in an event.

Edit preferences | Unsubscribe