When I realized I didn't have the energy I needed to experience my life on my terms, I went searching for answers.

By far the #1 reason people don’t:

• take care of themself enough,

• pursue a side hustle,

• or feel that they are as productive as they should be,

is because they feel they lack the time or energy to do it.

I struggled with chronic sleep issues from 2017-2019.

And I can tell you, until I got my energy back, I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on.

I learned that having better energy was more than just sleeping enough, and by focusing on the other things, my sleep actually fixed itself.

It required getting intelligent about my energy management, and aligning myself with, not against, nature.

Today I’m going to share the simple model I use to optimize my energy levels. 

I call this the TrueNature Energy Framework.

Our society lives very unnaturally. We are disconnected from nature, and ourselves. 

When we combine this with our general lack of awareness about how inefficient we are with our energy, it’s no surprise it seems that millions of people each day wish they had more energy.

1️⃣ ExIQ - Be “Energy Intelligent”

We are all energy-intuitive. We “just know” when a certain environment or thing gives us energy or drains our energy.

But rather than just being energy-intuitive, we want to be energy-intelligent.

This means being able to differentiate the subtle shifts in energy that are different from various interactions.

The human performance company Energx has a formula for what they call ExIQ - or Energy Intelligence.

ExIQ = Fuel x Fire x Feeling x Focus

They have found that energy is holistic, and these 4 components have a direct influence on our energy and well-being.

⛽︎ FUEL is what you’re putting in your body to energize you. The main things here are food, breath, and information.

When it comes to food, there is already a ton of information out there about the best foods to eat for energy.

What I will focus on here are the physiological effects of food on energy.

The reason we feel tired after eating has to do with our glucose levels dropping.

Typically, this happens when we eat something that spikes our blood glucose: simple carbs and sugar.

Then, our body releases insulin to bring it down, but due to the dramatic spike, it overcompensates.

The message here is: try to cut processed sugar from your diet as much as possible.

So when it comes to carbs, I try to stick to those from whole foods and eat them in conjunction with fats (like avocados, coconut oil, nuts, etc)

As for the other sources of fuel:

Breath - Breath deeply, integrate breath work into your routine (breathwork exercises have tons of benefits, including for energy)

Information - Again, be energy-intelligent. Assess the content you’re consuming, and if it leaves you feeling energized or drained.

🔥 FIRE is the passion you live with every day, as well as the internal energy you generate by being active.

This is something you need to find intentionally and incorporate in your life.

What lights you up? What are your passions? What’s your purpose?

Get clear on these and tie it into your day-to-day life.

I found that until I had this dialed in, I never quite felt “excited” to start my day.

There isn’t enough I can say about the benefits of exercise.

You might feel like you don’t have the energy to exercise, but research shows that after consistently exercising, this actually energizes us.

Just be sure to stick with it, depending on where you’re starting - this can take up to 2 weeks for the effects to be noticeable.

Also, try to incorporate more movement into your day.

So many of us are sitting at a desk or on the couch for multiple hours straight.

And as the saying goes: “An object at rest stays at rest.”

The sweet spot, according to studies, suggests that after every 45-60 minutes of sitting, stand up and move around.

I find this is that by taking this time to stretch, go for a walk, or do a quick workout, I can have much higher energy that lasts me all day

🥰 FEELINGS are the positive emotions you carry with you.

Which again, we must intentionally generate.

Part of the reason people are always low energy or in off moods is because they don’t intentionally practice positive feelings regularly.

Positive emotions are something that needs to be trained.

The simplest way to do this is to exercise gratitude.

Research has repeatedly shown many benefits of exercising gratitude:

🎯 FOCUS is about your ability to manage your energy.

Studies show that when we multitask, we drain far more energy than when we are focused on a specific task.

The hard truth is that multitasking is rare. What we’re actually doing is quickly shifting our focus from one thing to another.

Furthermore, studies show that when we are switching from one task to another, our brain consumes far more calories.

And calories = energy.

Transition Mindfully

The High-Performance Institute has found that the easiest, fastest, and most effective way to help people increase their energy is to teach them to master transitions.

Any time you are about to shift from one task to another, take a moment to pause, ground yourself, and bring yourself to the present moment.

In the book High Performance Habits, the author shares an exercise for this called: RELEASE TENSION, SET INTENTION.

It’s exactly what it sounds like.

As you bring yourself back to the present moment, release the tension in your body (you’re probably clenching your jaw right now).

Then set the intention of how you want to show up and feel in the next moment.

The beauty of life is found in FLOW, which only exists when we maintain being in the present moment.

When we optimize our FUEL, FIRE, FEELINGS, and FOCUS, the result is a state that can be best defined as JOY.

2️⃣ Align with nature

The second part of this framework is about aligning with the natural rhythm of our bodies and the earth.

Research shows that when our body’s natural rhythm is off, it can cause:

• Inconsistent energy

• Sleep issues

• Hormonal issues

• Digestive issues

• Skin problems

Among other things.

In Chinese medicine, the Body-Energy Clock is built upon the concept of the cyclical ebb and flow of energy throughout the body.

Understanding that every organ has a repair/maintenance schedule to keep daily, allows us to learn how to treat ourselves for improved health and well-being.

This is something I’ve lined up pretty close with my daily schedule over the past 2 years.

This of course is also understood as the human’s circadian rhythm. All animals have this.

I’ve personally seen profound health improvements when my body is aligned with this.

I highly recommend giving it a try.

Conclusion

Optimizing your energy is a prerequisite to aligning your environment, habits, beliefs, and identity.

Because without Energy, productivity doesn’t stand a chance.

You can have the best plan and systems in the world. But without energy, you’ll fall short.

Energy really is the most valuable currency there is. And as you increase it, you will accomplish more, and level up in life fast. 

Life is like a video game. 

By understanding the principles of Energy Intelligence and mindful transitions, alongside aligning with the natural rhythms of our bodies, you have a blueprint to unlock your full potential.

Energy is not just something you have or you don’t.

Energy is something you must intentionally generate and manage.

Be blessed,

Widmarc 🌞

PS - If energy is something you struggle with and you would like some guidance, book a free 15-minute strategy call with me here.