You need an energy audit

Published about 1 month ago • 1 min read

Dear Reader,

I’ve been doing a Whole Life Energy Audit, and I think you need one too.

Do you feel your energy is dispersed, depleted, or pouring out in the wrong places—or in the wrong amounts?
Are you drained from ignoring your body’s “no,” saying “yes” to things that don’t support your strengths or values?
Restless, rushing, craving some space to enjoy your life?

Yep. I know that feeling, too. That’s why it’s time to get your energy back on track with Wise Effort.

Here’s how: audit five key domains of your life:

Your body
Your psychology
Your relationships
Your environment
Your spirituality

And in each domain, ask yourself four questions:

What uses your genius?
In my new book, Wise Effort, I walk you through five ways to identify your unique genius energy. But for now, think of your genius as what comes naturally to you (but not to everyone else). It’s your je ne sais quoi—your secret sauce. Keep doing what you’re good at, but only if it also meets the criteria below.
What’s a whole-body yes?
Your body knows what supports your vitality and stability. Listen for the yeses and nos. That academic talk I was just invited to give? Whole-body NO. Time in the garden with my husband? Whole-body YES.
What aligns with your values?
Sometimes our genius gets hijacked into things that don’t actually align with what matters most (I’ve learned this the hard way—and it’s one of the reasons I wrote Wise Effort). Audit your commitments in each domain. Are they supporting or draining your values?
Does it serve more than just you?
All month on the podcast, we’ve been exploring wise effort in community. Why? Because resilience isn’t built alone. As Francis Weller shares in this week's episode, we will need each other. Consider: how does your energy use ripple outward to your family, your community, your wider world?