“If you want something done, ask a  busy person to do it.” 

This quote was traced back to several publications in the 1800s, although in more recent years was attributed to Lucille Ball. Regardless of its origin, the message holds. Just as life begets life, energy begets energy.

While there is a time to do less, it’s time to get moving if we have been in the do less mode for too long. Feeling lethargic makes us passive, and minor tasks seem monumental.

So how do we change up the energy when the lack of motivation weighs us down?

As difficult as it is when you feel stuck, it helps to get our blood flowing. There are two areas to get moving; one is physical, the other is mental.

 Getting Physical 

When we move, the chemicals in our brain become stimulated; specifically feel-good ones like Seratonin. However, to get these chemicals activated doesn’t mean you need to run a 10k or hike the highest mountain. Instead, it is necessary to move our energy.

Shake. Shaking is a way to get our blood flowing, plus it helps to dissipate and release stored stress. Shake your booty, shake your entire body. Just like animals who shake their bodies dry after a swim, shake like you are a rag doll. Shake your hands, flicking your fingers as if something is sticking to them, then flex and point your ankles repeatedly.

Thump your Thymus: The Thymus sits beneath the collarbones, behind the breastplate, and helps the immune system do its job. The crazy thing is the Thymus starts deteriorating at birth, and by middle age, it is virtually a remnant of what it was. So it’s essential to keep it stimulated. Stimulating the Thymus has another benefit; it gives us courage. We can activate the Thymus by lightly tapping the Thymus with our fingers.

Some believe the word Thymus derives from the herb thyme because of the shape of the leaf. And the ancient Romans, Greeks, and Scottish Highlanders believed thyme gave them courage before a battle. Coincidence?

Confidence and courage are natural instigators for getting our energy moving. And while you are tapping your Thymus, go ahead and tap your whole body. Arms, legs, buttocks, lower back, anything you can reach. This is an excellent way to get your energy kickstarted.

Spinning: not on a bicycle:  As adults, we have moved away from the thrill of spinning in a circle or rolling down a hill with arms tucked close to our bodies, laughing as we dizzily tried to stand up. Unconsciously, children spin in circles to balance their brains and teach coordination. As adults, many of us stop because it makes us dizzy.

If you choose to start spinning, start slow, and you can build up to your comfort level. Looking over your outstretched arm can assist in your focus. Others like the feeling of going fast. Find the speed that works for you. Start with 3-5 rotations and build up.

Other Activities: Even if you cannot get to the gym or the sports courts, you can take walks, dance around the house, do yoga, taichi, band work, jump rope, or calisthenics. Explore an array of courses online; many are free. Set a goal. Start with an attainable one. 15 mins a day. Then gradually build it up to longer durations. If you live with someone, maybe you can engage them in participating. Or use for some alone time.

Getting an accountability partner can make sticking to your goal easier too. If I plan to do something with another, it removes the desire to back out. Plus, it can be more fun. There are many activities to do outside. Adhere to social distancing if you want to create a fun workout with others.

Get Mentally Active

Clearing away the thoughts that clutter our brains can weigh us down. Anything that is not moving us forward is holding us back. Making room new begins with decluttering or minds.

Clean up loose ends: Do you have a stack of paperwork that needs addressing? Phone calls to return? Documents to sign? Each thing we put off doing becomes an energy siphon. It is invisible, so we don’t notice it until it has become so great we feel paralyzed with inaction.

Be aware of inner dialogue. We can never move forward if we allow our inner voice to give us excuses for not doing something,  So instead, we must learn to shut that voice up by programing it to speak differently to us. Change your words, and your life will change.

Stop talking and get doing. We waste energy talking about things dissipating the power to get it done. But, unfortunately, it does more. It also signals to the universe that we aren’t serious about it, lessening the ability to manifest.

Stop worrying, especially about things out of our control. Worry is just an energy drain. Instead, save your energy for something constructive.

Be aware that our lives are a reflection of our thoughts. If we think of something like a struggle, it will become that. If we change our mindset to see the task as pleasurable, the mind will readjust also.

Energy is attracted to like energy. Once we get our energy moving, it signals the universe that we are in action and encourages new energy and opportunities. Getting our blood moving may feel daunting at first. Yet, no one can get us moving but ourselves. The desire to change creates the impetus to adjust our behaviors. If you want it bad enough, you can transform your willpower. It only takes one step to start.

As Newton’s first law of motion says, “An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion.”