During the last months, I’ve continuously been coming back to different approaches to goal setting. There rarely is an easy answer. The common denominator is some type of fear.

Another similarity is the struggle in finding the energy allowing to conclude.

A lot of our energy is being wasted by hustling and running to keep up with the existing commitments. May they be to ourselves or others. Sure, there will be times of rest. However, taking a closer look, they often are a time of exhaustion that follows a period spent doing as much as possible.

It is something we can only make ourselves responsible for.

What it implies is that it is our task to avoid putting ourselves in danger. Or said differently, to care enough for ourselves to pay attention to the physical, psychic, and social danger we might encounter.

It’s not possible to describe everything, but a few examples might help: Having enough sleep and staying away as much as possible from infections seems to be natural, but sometimes we take time to discover what enough sleep means for us. Avoiding emotions may be something we’ve been taught whereas indulging in one emotion may have become a habit to deal with a given situation. However, both approaches transform our ability to stay present and be available to ourselves or others. Social contact is also essential for our energy, human beings are hard-wired to belong to groups. It’s how they can contribute to others as well as feel cared for. Basically, this describes the reciprocity of protecting one another.

Avoiding these dangers is done by caring for our needs. And when the dangers show up, it is a signal that we forgot to be responsible for ourselves.

The attention we give to our energy level may feel like too small a contribution to be relevant and one we can outperform.

… until we realize what it means to continue on that track.