Navigation

I turned on Apple Maps as I left the airport. It was late and I worked all day and then had to fly to a conference. I had to be there early the next morning in a city I hadn't been to in years. I was staying with some friends, but there was a new toll road I could take to get to their house quicker and for some reason nothing leaving the airport looked familiar. A wave of anticipation came over me as I waited for the sound of my navigation system to come on. It felt like forever and then there she was, that familiar sound of a person I don't even know telling me where to go. I was so trusting of her and believed she could get me where I needed to go. Well that is exactly what happened. In absolutely no time I pulled up to their front door, no wrong turns, no worries.

If only everyday life was so easy to navigate. If only there was someone telling us when to turn right or left or saying to us that when you get to the "y" in the road, you better go right, otherwise the other road is full of pot holes and dead ends. Before my iPhone, when my husband I went traveling with our small boys, I was the navigator. I told my husband where to turn and what interstate to get on, and let me tell you, there were times when the map got so paper-thin it would tear from all the figuring I had to do to make sure we were going the right direction.

Those who navigate their life well experience better overall health, whether physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. The key is how to do this.

We all get a certain amount of energy everyday, right? Well that is true to a point but there are certain ways to renew your energy that are being researched and studied. According to Schwartz and McCarthy, energy can be systemically expanded and regularly renewed by establishing specific rituals-behaviors that are intentionally practiced and precisely scheduled, with the goal of making them unconscious and automatic as quickly as possible. Tony Schwartz is the founder and CEO of the Energy Project and author of "The Way We're Working Isn't Working: The Four Forgotten Needs that Energize Great Performance." His research shows how an energy renewal program was able to boost employee productivity and then the employees were able to outperform other employees in a control group using simple tools to access their energy and renew their spirit. He believes people need to clarify their priorities, and establish rituals in all three categories. These categories are: knowing what you do best and enjoy most at work, allowing time and energy for work, family, health and service to others, and then being able to live true to the core values that you establish. If you are not sure if you are headed for an "energy crisis," Schwartz has an easy survey to take that addresses these four areas of physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual health and then this helps you know how well you are doing in each category and if you are managing your daily energy well.

Navigating our life takes each of us being mindful to our needs. Being mindful means assessing what is working well and what isn't. It means making rituals and time to renew your spirit. Everyone does this differently. In the world of physical therapy we feel that when you ignite the physical energy all the other energy levels often do much better. Sometimes a ritual might be you working out every morning before your leave for the office or maybe you can walk with your husband after work so you can talk and catch up. Schwartz describes one ritual that works well is every 90-120 minutes getting up from your desk and stepping away from your work for just a few minutes to renew yourself, whether it was to listen to music or walk around the office. This short, quick break had a direct effect on the quality of work done after the break because the brain was able to focus better. Another ritual might be to turn off your technological devices two hours before bed, so you can actually sleep for seven or eight hours a night. Whatever rituals you choose, remember it is up to you to navigate your life and you will have to listen for your own voice to tell you where to go.

Sheree DiBiase, PT, is the owner of Lake City Physical Therapy, and she and her staff can be reached in their Coeur d'Alene office at (208) 667-1988 or in their Spokane Valley office at (509) 891-2623. Join us April 29 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. to learn how to make healthy lifestyle choices and take the Schwartz quiz to see if you have an energy crisis.