Living with Your Changing Energy (instead of fighting against it)

There was a time when I believed I had to be productive every single day.

If I wasn't busy, I felt guilty.

If I wasn't motivated, I thought I was lazy.

If I felt tired, I convinced myself I just needed to push through.

Looking back now, I realise I wasn't failing.

I was fighting against my own energy.

When I first joined network marketing 16 years ago, my daughter Chloe was just two years old. I wanted to earn some extra money while still being at home with her, and the opportunity to build a business from home felt like the perfect solution.

Being surrounded by ambitious, successful people inspired me. I loved seeing what was possible and it encouraged me to dream big.

But along with that inspiration came a belief that success meant constant activity.

My diary needed to be full.

I needed to be delivering catalogues, talking to people, building my team and always doing more.

Trying to build a business while raising a toddler left me feeling as though I was constantly being pulled in two directions.

If I was working, I felt guilty that I wasn't spending enough time with my family.

If I was with my family, I felt guilty that I wasn't working on my business.

It felt like I could never quite get it right.

On the days when I lacked motivation, I thought I was lazy.

When I felt exhausted, I kept going anyway.

If my mind felt foggy, I blamed myself for not coping as well as everyone else seemed to.

I honestly believed the problem was me.

Then, in 2015, everything changed. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression.

Looking back now, I don't call it my breakdown anymore.

I call it my breakthrough.

Because that's exactly what it became.

It forced me to stop.

To listen.

To rebuild my life in a completely different way.

When I finally stopped judging myself and started listening instead, I noticed something.

My energy naturally changed.

Some mornings I woke up bursting with ideas.

Other mornings, all I wanted was peace and quiet.

Some days I felt energised by being around people.

Other days I needed my own company.

Some days I could achieve so much.

Other days, simply slowing down was exactly what I needed.

Gradually, I realised something important.

None of those days were wrong.

They were simply different.

As we move through perimenopause and menopause, many of us notice these changes even more.

Our energy becomes less predictable.

Some days we feel capable of taking on the world.

Other days we feel emotionally and physically drained.

But perhaps that doesn't mean something is wrong.

Perhaps it's simply our body asking us to listen more closely.

Instead of fighting our changing energy…

What if we learned to work with it?

These days, I no longer judge myself for needing slower days.

I love writing, but I don't force myself to write because my diary tells me to.

I write when inspiration comes.

I protect quiet time because I've learned that's where I recharge.

If I need a slower morning, I allow myself one.

Instead of constantly pushing against my energy, I try to work with it.

I've also realised that my worth isn't measured by how much I get done in a day.

That has been one of the most freeing lessons of all.

My word for this year is Flow, and I've realised it isn't just a lovely word.

It's become the way I choose to live.

Five Gentle Ways to Work With Your Energy

Notice your patterns.
Journaling can be a wonderful way to recognise when your energy naturally rises and falls, especially if you're navigating hormonal changes.

Rest before burnout.
Don't wait until you're completely exhausted before giving yourself permission to slow down. I learned that lesson the hard way.

Batch tasks when your energy is high.
I often use my more productive days to complete tasks that will make life easier when my energy feels lower.

Allow yourself quieter days.
Rest isn't laziness. It's an important part of looking after yourself.

Stop comparing your pace with everyone else's.
We all have different lives, different bodies and different energy. Your journey doesn't need to look like anyone else's.

For so many years, I believed I needed to change my energy.

These days, I simply try to understand it.

And that has changed everything.

So I'd love to leave you with one gentle question...

What might change if you stopped expecting yourself to feel the same every single day?

Thank you so much for reading.

With love,

Anne-Marie 💜

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