Opinions type: Empowering Relationships

Have you ever felt energised by another person? Or drained by someone’s negative energy? (We’ve all been there, right?)

Some people just drain you of all physical, mental and emotional energy. Other people can light your fire, warm you and lift your energy. These people are radiators. 

How to protect yourself from another person’s negative energy

It’s good to spend time with energy radiators who give you the energy you need. You don’t want to only be around people who see you as incapable because of your diagnosis and health challenges. You also don’t want to be with people who butt in as soon as you talk about something you’re struggling with – because either they feel their situation is worse, or they don’t want to hear how you’re feeling, because it’s too difficult for them to listen to.

However, we can’t always just avoid people who are drains – especially when they’re permanent fixtures in our lives! 

When you have to be in the presence of an energy draining person, try this exercise:

Imagine you are surrounded by a sphere of amber light

Imagine it’s all around you and protects you like a shield.

Keep picturing the shield of light all the time you are with this draining person. Imagine the energy from your shield boosts their energy, but doesn’t deplete your energy at all.

Give it a go! (And do let me know how you feel afterwards – drop me an email or message me on Facebook or Instagram.)

How to increase your positive energy

Nurture your empowering relationships
It’s easy to feel drained after giving out so much of our energy to everything and everyone around us. Having empowering relationships in our lives is essential for feeling good about ourselves and getting an energy boost, especially when we’re dealing with chronic health challenges. You don’t need lots of friends, but a few good ones are invaluable. A good friend can lift you up and restore your energy just by checking in – whether that’s in person or over Zoom.

Be a positive energy radiator for others
You’ll have low days where you need to benefit from someone else’s energy, and that’s okay. But make sure you can give the people in your life your energy, time and attention when they need it. Try focusing on finding new ways to connect, and new ways to make others feel special, loved and supported. When you put your positive energy out into the world, it will come back to you just when you need it most.

Why I felt I needed to work with a health coach

The main reason for me working with a health coach wasn’t weight loss (although to be fair, I was at the point of considering buying bigger supermarket leggings).  My main reason was that I felt I was inauthentic to my own mission in life of inspiring others towards a life of health and vitality.

I also felt tired and couldn’t motivate myself to think about nutrition, exercise or healthy living after investing so much thought into it for others. I could stick to my meditation, but the rest of my time was prioritised on everyone else.

Yet logically I knew this was the exact opposite of what I wanted.

I knew if I ate better I would have more energy and that I would feel great right to the core. I knew because I had felt that before. Yet I couldn’t do it at this point in time. That is why healthy lifestyles are simple, but not easy to obtain.

I had got to the point where I had been putting in so much time in to helping others to get healthier, while struggling with my own stress of dealing with my daughter Tora’s diagnosis, that I didn’t prioritise my own health. I had been reaching for those stress reducing, ‘quick fix’ comfort foods, while not having time to exercise and spending long hours sat at my computer writing. Before I knew it even my ‘comfies’ weren’t comfortable any more.

I knew if I ate better I would have more energy and that I would feel great right to the core. I knew because I had felt that before. Yet I couldn’t do it at this point in time. That is why healthy lifestyles are simple, but not easy to obtain.

Now it might seem bizarre that I considered spending money on a health coaching programme, given my background in health and lifestyle medicine. I’m constantly reading the latest nutrition studies and I’ve exercised all my life, I also live with a crossfit coach. Surely I could reach my goals by myself?!

Obviously not.

(Otherwise my ‘before’ photo wouldn’t look quite so wobbly.)

Choosing a health coach

So I needed to take action. I needed a coach who would hold my hand to the flame and hold me accountable. I also needed to take things back to basics and just follow someone else’s guidance.

Effie was the perfect choice for me.

Before anyone wonders, if I wasn’t already overloading Coach Caron’s plate with work I would of course have worked with her, but I needed someone outside of my immediate working environment. Effie is not only a beautiful person, she speaks with knowledgeable authority on both nutrition and exercise.

She is the true embodiment of talking the talk and walking the walk.

Just look at her photos; proof enough.

What happens when you work with a health coach

At the start Effie listened to me and what I was struggling with, and we agreed goals. She put in some manageable action points and was always on hand for support via WhatsApp.

I followed her advice as best I could, and I soon felt better and more like myself.

Each week we would speak on the phone and review my achievements. She is such a positive soul and always turned any of my negative statements around. Her recipe plans are beautiful and her workout app is fantastic, complete with helpful instructional videos!

I have to admit, measuring out food so I could weigh it in order to track calories on https://www.myfitnesspal.com was a huge mission to start off with, but things soon become familiar as inevitably, we all tend to eat fairly similar things on a cycle. I kept a table updated with my daily calories, protein intake, steps, exercise, sleep, energy levels and monthly cycle.

I weighed daily. This allowed me to track the variation across the weeks and recognise a pattern be that related to hormones, hydration, intake or exercise. It was helpful to gain this overall perspective and learn how to be really in tune with my body. 

The results after 12 weeks working with a health coach

Start of week 1: 67.6kg

End of week 12: 61.7kg

I’m back to feeling like me. My comfies are comfortable again. I feel energised, healthy and strong. I felt comfortable in a bikini in front of my friends. I am motivated to carry on and am keen to work with Effie again as I think she can help anyone to reach their potential.

My aim with my Revive Prescribed programmes is to help people thrive; Effie enabled me to thrive again. I will be forever grateful for her leading me back to my path of longevity and vitality.