Substance abuse can affect your life in more ways than you imagine. I was an addict for the greater part of my teenage years and a chunk of my adulthood and it cost me a lot of opportunities. It got to the point where I thought I would be a failure my entire life.
Fortunately, that wasn’t the case at all.
My substance abuse started when I was only 9 years old. I got drunk at a family party on some liquor I stole from the kitchen while my parents weren’t watching. It only got worse as time went by and I got hooked on other substances. I started with marijuana and slowly moved on to more hardcore drugs.
At 23, I got sentenced to two years in prison and that was when I realized I had to change. I had to get clean.
As soon as I got out of prison, I checked into a rehab. After completing my treatment, I found a job which I started getting really good at very quickly. I was working too hard. I had no energy and was constantly under a lot of stress. The anxiety and depression this situation caused me led me to relapse.
There I was, at 27, feeling like I had wasted my life, feeling like a complete failure.
But I didn’t give up.
I went back to rehab, determined to fix what remained broken the first time I was there. When I finished my second treatment, my AA sponsor encouraged me to take some classes at a community college. I took an HTML course and found out I was really good at it. I took some more courses and started acquiring more and more knowledge.
Fast forward to today, 9 years later, I own a website development company. I’m successful and happy. There were many elements that helped me achieve this success.
I want to talk about one key aspect that I think is highly overlooked: energy.
Not having enough energy to complete a task or a project can interfere with your long and short-term goals, so I want to share something with whoever is reading this right now. These 5 tips are the best ways on how to stay energetic. They ultimately led me to my success.
Reduce stress
Anxiety is common among addicts and this results in high levels of stress. Studies show that there is a correlation between anxiety and fatigue since both use up a lot of energy.
When you’re under a lot of stress, even if you’re well rested, you will feel physically and mentally exhausted. This can interfere with your productivity.
So, the first thing you need to do in order to be more energetic is to reduce stress.
There are many ways in which you can achieve this and it’s important to note that you will not get an immediate result. You have to keep working on it in order to start feeling more relaxed and energetic. What worked for me the best was meditation.
It’s a very simple practice that anyone can try. It only takes you a few minutes every day.
Get enough, good quality sleep
Not sleeping enough or not sleeping well can make you feel tired throughout the day, no matter how many cups of coffee you drink to try to make up for it. This can result in less concentration and mood swings throughout the day.
While the general rule is to sleep approximately 8 hours each day, everyone is different and some people may need more sleep than others.
I always had trouble falling asleep and I would wake up several times during the night. Sometimes, I wasn’t able to fall back asleep.
If you can relate to these problems, there are a few things you can do that may help you. Keeping a consistent sleep schedule (waking up and going to bed at the same time every day), can help regulate your internal clock. Also, it turns out that the effects of caffeine can last up to 12 hours, so try eliminating coffee from your diet after 3 p.m., so it doesn’t give you any troubles falling asleep at night.
See Also: Five Ways of Overcoming the Problem of Getting Sleep
Exercise regularly
You should be exercising regularly for a number of reasons. For one, it can improve your overall physical health. It can boost your confidence, make you happier and make you more energetic. Exercising helps your lungs and heart work more efficiently, resulting in higher energy levels. In addition to this, it creates discipline which is also an essential element of success.
The best part is you can choose any type of exercise you like. I chose hiking since I love being surrounded by nature and being reminded of how beautiful the world is. You can start with small routines and build up from there. Soon enough, you’ll start noticing results in your energy and mood.
Eat healthy
Our diets today consist basically of processed foods and sugar, which don’t have any essential nutrients. These foods can cause fatigue among many other health problems. You need to identify your eating habits and if you recognize you’re not eating healthy enough, make some changes in your diet.
Leafy greens contain antioxidants, which are great for boosting your energy. Also, high-protein foods such as beans, eggs, and lean meat can help stabilize your blood sugar levels. These types of food are great for keeping you energized and preventing cravings throughout the day.
This doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in your favorite junk food every once in awhile. I still eat fried chicken once every two weeks. I just keep it measured.
See Also: Foods That Will Help You Keep Your Family Healthy
Do what you love
The way I see it, there is only one way to experience higher levels of productivity and success and that’s by doing something you love. There’s no point in making a lot of money if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing.
True success is loving what you do. So, I strongly encourage you to find something you’re really passionate about and give it everything you’ve got.
It doesn’t matter how bad you think things are as long as you’re willing to try. We all have the chance to be successful. Reducing stress, sleeping well, exercising, eating healthy and doing something you love are just some of the best ways on how to stay energetic for your goals.
If I could do it, I’m certain you can do it, too!
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