‘Be Responsible for the Energy You Bring’ Is More Important Than Ever
Have you ever noticed how your energy affects the people around you? Whether it's focused or flustered, the energy you bring into your daily life can have a profound impact on your relationships, your work, and your overall well-being. Practicing energetic self-awareness may sound like a fluffy concept, but it is actually grounded in simple mindfulness practice and conscious communication.
Energetic self-awareness means recognizing when you're feeling stressed, anxious, distracted, or overwhelmed, and taking full emotional accountability for your experience. If your energy is highly influenced by your emotions, energetic self-awareness may mean taking steps to center yourself in consideration of those around you. It also means being conscious of how your attitude, assumptions, and communication style impacts your interactions with others. In this article, we will explore the importance of bringing mindful awareness to the energy we bring and how this simple practice can profoundly shape our experience.
The Origins of 'Being Responsible for the Energy You Bring'
As usual, Oprah said it best: The mantra 'be responsible for the energy you bring' emerged from an interview that Oprah aired on her show with neuroanatomist Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor in 2011. In the interview Dr. Bolte-Taylor shared her experience of recovering from a debilitating stroke that severely impaired her ability to process language and logic and left her completely helpless. Her recovery involved a painstaking process of re-training her brain to identify and communicate symbolically. In one of her earliest lessons, Dr. Bolte-Taylor's tutor walked her through the equation 1+1=2.
"What's a one?" She asked her tutor.
Stripped of the ability to communicate effectively with those around her, Dr. Bolte-Taylor discovered an essential truth: When caregivers brought awareness to the energy they shared through their interactions with her, she felt uplifted, calm and more capable of moving forward with recovery. When people entered her space without this self-awareness, however, ignoring the importance of eye contact to establish presence, physical touch to create a shared experience, or vocal tone to communicate emotion non-verbally, she experienced dissonance and withdrew into her suffering.
What Does It Mean to ‘Be Responsible for the Energy You Bring’?
To be responsible for the energy you bring means being aware of your own emotions and attitudes and understanding how they can impact those around you. It means taking ownership of the energy you project and making an effort to bring your most conscious self into any situation. Being responsible for the energy you bring involves being mindful of your words, actions, and demeanor and striving to create a positive and uplifting environment for yourself and others.
Benefits of Energetic Accountability
Being responsible for the energy you bring is crucial for maintaining positive relationships. By being aware of your own emotions and attitudes, you can create a more harmonious environment and attract positivity into your life. This not only improves your own well-being but also influences those around you, leading to better communication, stronger connections, and a more fulfilling life overall. By taking responsibility for your energy, you have the power to shape your own reality and create a positive ripple effect in the world. Here are a few concrete benefits of stepping into self-awareness:
Allows you to have control over your emotions and reactions
Improves your awareness of others' needs and experiences
Creates a positive and harmonious environment for yourself and those around you
Encourages personal growth by leading you to become more attuned to your thoughts, emotions, and actions
Enhances overall happiness and positivity, as you actively choose to engage with others through kindness, empathy, and compassion
Inspires and influence others to do the same, creating a ripple effect of positive energy in your personal and professional circles
Controlling Your Emotions vs. Energetic Self-Awareness
So, does building energetic self-awareness mean stuffing your emotions so everyone around you is more comfortable? Not at all.
Controlling emotions involves the conscious effort to suppress or change how you feel in various situations. It often requires self-discipline and the ability to detach oneself from strong emotions. This practice can be helpful in maintaining composure in stressful or challenging situations, preventing impulsive reactions, and fostering a sense of control. However, controlling emotions can also lead to emotional suppression, which may have negative consequences in the long run. It can create a disconnect between one's true emotions and their outward expression, potentially leading to unresolved emotional issues and a lack of authentic self-expression.
On the other hand, practicing energetic self-awareness focuses on understanding and channeling your energy mindfully. It involves being attuned to the subtle energy flow within the body and recognizing how it impacts emotions, thoughts, and overall well-being. By developing this awareness, individuals can identify and address energetic imbalances or blockages that may be causing emotional distress. Energetic self-awareness encourages individuals to embrace and express their emotions authentically, rather than suppressing or controlling them. This practice allows for a deeper understanding and acceptance of one's emotions, leading to emotional healing and personal growth.
Energetic self-awareness is often considered more effective than simply controlling emotions because it takes a proactive and holistic approach to emotional well-being. By acknowledging and working with the energetic aspects of oneself, individuals can achieve a more profound and sustainable transformation. It helps individuals to not only manage their energy but also to understand their root causes and address them at a deeper level. Ultimately, energetic self-awareness allows individuals to cultivate a healthier emotional state, promote self-love, and live a more fulfilling life.
Energetic Self-Awareness in the Era of Remote Work
In the era of remote work, the idea of being responsible for the energy you bring is more important than ever before. With virtual interactions becoming the norm, practicing energetic self-awareness in the digital world is crucial for maintaining healthy relationships. But what does that actually look like in practice? Here are five examples of being responsible for the energy you bring in the online world.
1. Mindful Communication
In the digital world, communication is primarily through written messages or video calls. Being responsible for the energy you bring means being mindful of your tone, choice of words, and overall attitude when communicating online. It means speaking up for yourself while respecting others, and recognizing when you need to take conversations offline to maintain effective communication.
2. Active Listening
Just as in face-to-face interactions, active listening is essential in the online world. It involves paying full attention to the speaker, understanding their perspective, and responding appropriately. By actively listening during virtual meetings or discussions, you can contribute positively and avoid misunderstandings or conflicts.
3. Managing Emotions
Remote work can sometimes be challenging, and frustrations or stress may arise that you can't express to your team as easily as you might be able to in an office setting. Being responsible for the energy you bring means being able to identify your emotions as they aris and managing them effectively. Instead of venting frustrations in your Slack chat, writing emails that you never send, or complaining to co-workers, find healthy ways to release stress, like taking breaks, practicing mindfulness, or seeking support from colleagues or mentors.
4. Supporting and Encouraging Others
Building a positive online community involves supporting and encouraging others. Take the initiative to recognize and appreciate the efforts of your virtual team members. Share positive feedback, offer assistance when needed, and celebrate achievements together. By uplifting others, you contribute to a positive and energetic digital environment.
5. Avoiding Gossip and Negativity
In the online world, it can be tempting to dump your emotions in some online forum or thread. But seriously, gossip is just one of those things that aren't worth your time. Being responsible for the energy you bring means finding more effective ways to express yourself. Instead, focus on constructive and uplifting discussions that contribute to a positive online atmosphere. Remember that your words and actions have a lasting impact on others, even in the digital realm.
Practicing energetic self-awareness in the digital world requires conscious effort and mindfulness. By implementing these examples, you can create a positive online presence, foster healthy relationships, and enhance overall productivity in the remote work era. Remember, your energy matters, even in the virtual world.
Energetic Self-Awareness Improves Communication
Energetic self-awareness is deeply linked to aligning your verbal and non-verbal communication. It's all about tuning your awareness to how your presence influences the vibes in various situations.
Aligning verbal and non-verbal communication implies that what you say (verbal) is consistent with your body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice (non-verbal). When these signals are aligned, you'll find communication with others is easier, more effective and more authentic. When these signals conflict, you're sending "mixed messages" that leave the receiver conflicted or confused.
Take a friend-date for example: You invite a new friend you met at work out to lunch via text. They don't respond for a couple of days (first non-verbal cue), and then you run into them at work. They say that they would love to join you and are excited to try a new restaurant, but their face is tense and they won't make eye contact with you (second non-verbal cue).
So...is that yes really a ‘yes’?
Most likely, you'll second-guess the verbal response based on the strong non-verbal cues you're getting from this potential friend. You'll doubt that they are expressing what they truly feel, which is some kind of ambivalence. You may even question this friend's intentions based on past interactions, causing a breakdown in communication and potential strain in the relationship.
As you probably know, sending or receiving mixed messages to those around you can result in misinterpretation, damage trust, and block further communication.
Here's where the magic happens ✨ Building energetic self-awareness helps you to effortlessly align your verbal and non-verbal communication. Your heightened self-awareness enables you to match your words with suitable non-verbal cues because you can actually feel what you're saying, which makes communication with others more coherent and impactful.
For instance, if you’re aware that you’re emanating a warm and receptive energy, your words, tone, and body language are more likely to be inviting and empathetic, fostering more meaningful and genuine interactions. In contrast, a lack of energetic self-awareness might lead to mismatches between your verbal and non-verbal communication, making interactions feel confusing or disingenuous. Energetic self-awareness acts as a foundation upon which authentic and aligned communication can flourish.