Howdy Reader,
I went on a short backpacking trip this past weekend with friends. It was supposed to be ladies-only but when we got to the backcountry campsite, two dudes had already set up shop.
In swapping campfire stories with our new compadres, one of the gentlemen— a veteran who served for nearly 30 years— shared the term of “energetic tranquility.” It's a concept I'm familiar with, but hadn't heard phrased quite in that way.
The idea that the activities we partake in— whether it be hiking, paddling, quilting, reading, or simply staring at the clouds— fill us up. It may be challenging while we’re doing it, but in the end it gives us a sense of pride, accomplishment, or of peace. Easy energy. Good energy. Tranquil Energy.
The contrary, he said, was something to the effect of “energetic drain.” The example here can be spending two hours on social media wondering where the time went, or numbing ourselves with overwork, meds, food, alcohol, or even drugs. These things do the opposite of filling our proverbial cups— they deplete them and leave us wondering “What did I just do?”
I picture individual energy as a thermometer that runs from tailbone to the crown of the head. It rises and falls with whatever is going on in our life. Too little good stuff— nourishment, pleasurable activities, overcoming challenges— and there’s barely a blip of red at the base. That’s where burnout, anxiety, and health issues start to arise.
We load up on the good stuff (good food, good sleep, activities that light us up), and the thermometer rises to the top (in my head transforming from red to green as approaches the peak). We feel good, and can do All the Things sustainably.
We pay attention to what drains us, what sustains us and we understand where our North Star is guiding us.
I’m curious how you’re running— what does the level on your thermometer look like?
Fair weather and following seas,
Kara
Weekly roundup
In case you missed it, last week we had a double episode drop of the So You Want to Be a Marine Biologist podcast.
Episode 101: Life pivots, what's good, and what's next
In this WELCOME BACK episode, I share a little more of my own story and background, what I've been up to during the nearly two year hiatus from recordings, and sharing what’s next for the SYWTBAMB podcast.
Episode 102: Cody McLaughlin: Salmon Wars, Living in the Last Frontier, and Making Political Waves
Hunter, trapper, and fisherman Cody McLaughlin joins us on the show today. Cody is a season podcast producer and outdoor writer featured in several national publications including National Wild Turkey Federation’s Turkey Call Magazine and the Sportfishing Magazine. He also is a political strategist and serves on the board of the Alaska Outdoor Council, the Last Frontier State’s NRA affiliate, and is a former board member and spokesperson for the NJ outdoor alliance.
On the show today, Cody shares the tale of the Salmon Wars happening in America’s PNW, and his podcast with the same name that highlights the plight of the salmon fishery. We also chat about what it’s like to actually live in the Last Frontier of Alaska, and how to use politics to preserve our natural resources.
Click here to listen on Apple podcast
Click here to listen on Spotify
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