You manage many aspects of your life–your health, workload, household, finances, etc.–but it’s sometimes easy to overlook managing your own personal energy. Life’s pressures can often be draining, but being proactive about managing your energy can help you have enough stamina to get through those pressures without getting exhausted. When your car’s gas tank gauge is on Empty, you don’t keep driving till it’s all gone–you pull over and fill the tank. So instead of pushing your personal energy further when your tank is on Empty, try one of these tips to refill and replenish easily. 

1. Try happy news. When your energy is low, reading the daily news can bring you down further with its somber stories. As an alternative, try visiting the HuffPost Good News, a collection of positive news stories from the Huffington Post. With sections like Everyday Heroes, Community Kindness and more, you’ll find news stories that touch your heart, replenish your energy and give you hope for humanity. 

2. Look at beautiful things. Seeing beauty isn’t just pleasing to the eye, it’s a lovely way to fill up your energetic bucket. Try going for a scenic drive, visiting an art museum or gazing at lovely photos on Pinterest. Or, Google “amazing photos” and see what turns up to cheer you up.

3. Drink more water. When your energy is low, your body gets stressed. Drinking plenty of water helps every system of your body run well, naturally increasing your energy. Water is also a fantastic energy conductor, moving out any unwanted energy you may have picked up with each glass of water you drink.

4. Eat foods that enliven you. Just like drinking water helps energize your body and enlivens your energy, so does eating live, non-processed foods. You’ll receive vitamins and antioxidentswith every bite, energizing the body and helping clearing it of pollutants while oxygenating the blood. If your energy is low, try eating:

      *Fresh, certified organic fruits & veggies, herbs, legumes, nuts & seeds

      *Antioxident rich foods (berries, tomatoes, etc.), or

      *Raw foods found at natural food stores or raw restaurants in your area. 

5. Listen to happy music. We all have songs that, for whatever reason, make our toes tap and put a smile on our faces. Make a playlist on your MP3 player called “happy songs” and play them when you’re having a rough moment. (Here’s one of my happy songs, Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al”, in case you want to borrow it.)

6. Watch funny programs. Laughing helps move energy through the body and lighten your mood. Try watching a funny movie, going to a comedy club, or checking out comedians on YouTube or Comedy Central such as Brian Regan or Jeff Dunham.

7. Engage in activities that make you happy. We all have things we do that make us happy, whether they are artistic pursuits, spending time with loved ones, volunteering, being in nature, etc. These activities make us come alive, replenishing our energy. Have a few in mind for those low-energy days.

There’s no reason that filling your energy bucket should take away even more energy. Following these tips will fill your energy with ease.