Level 3 Energy: a mixed bag
Level three energy is a mix of both catabolic and anabolic energy. We can be both productive and destructive in this place through a tolerance for what is not working and a focus on what is positive and productive. When we continue to push forward through this tolerance, we are somewhat limited in our ability to access high energy and creativity as we are held back by the catabolic energy. This is a ‘good enough’ type attitude, things are fine, and we can put up with them for now without too significant of repercussions.
As an example from my life a few weeks ago, I was pushing forward on some foundational business plans even though I was beginning to get headaches from the mass amounts of screen time and knew that I was putting a lot of other life things on hold. I was being productive through force, under the pressure of self-imposed deadlines, and it was getting harder to stay focused and energized throughout the day.
We do have choice here. We can choose to recognize the destruction that is occurring, release the low level energy that is blocking us and move forward in a new way. We are also choosing in this to be at the cause of our lives, to redirect our efforts. If we do not choose this, we may remain at the effect of our life circumstances, tolerating the negative but only able to access some of the potential that we have.
Enjoy more thoughts about catabolic energy and the purpose it can serve in our lives to evolve our identities here.
In learning about the seven levels of energy as described by Bruce D. Schnieder, and shown here, we understand that the higher we move up the levels the more anabolic energy (creative energy) that is accessible to us and the less catabolic energy that is tearing us down. Wouldn’t it be nice to be more creative and less drained??? What would it take for each of us to release this energy?
Each situation is unique for each person. Back to my current example of business start up and the push of timelines, here are some insights I had in changing my methods once I stepped away from the screen and spent a few days on my bike:
1. Realistic Timelines and Project Completion Expectations – logistically this looked like setting aside double the time in my calendar to complete a task. Rather than feeling defeated when I was not meeting my targets, I felt the abundance of time and creativity to do really quality work, and celebrated with the extra time left in my day.
2. Work Boundaries and Balancing Off-time Activities – Right now there are a lot of projects I want to do that involve screen time. Web design and business tasks, training videos and practice calls, as well as research and actual group meetings. I need to balance this out intentionally with activities outside, in person, reading books rather than online articles, and limiting screen time when possible.
3. The ‘Long Game’ Mentality – the goals I am working toward right now are just steps toward the much larger goals and the multi-year plans that will continue to evolve and extend. When I feel rushed to get something finished this week that is more realistically a multi week or month long project, I remind myself that there will continue to be projects and that it is an marathon, not a sprint, and in this there is a different need for rest and self-care.
Level three has a core thought of Responsibility. This thought pulls me into action and keeps me motivated and with momentum in my work and life. I also feel a level of responsibility to my mission, to being at my best, to taking care of myself to be able to create and share and build community. This type of responsibility, on the good days, leads me to taking care, breaking down the systems that are causing fatigue and rebuilding them into a more creative, inspiring, and fulfilling way. Right now, using level three in this way is serving a great purpose, all levels have value.
