“Life begets life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.”   Sarah Bernhardt

Stormy Sarah knew a thing or two about spending oneself:She lived a big life, full of excitement and drama – not just on the stage, though it was there that she electrified people and created shared experiences that many theatre-goers never forgot.

In a nutshell, she spent herself fully, without holding back. And if we want to improve our craft – summon up words that sing and dance – like Sarah, we can’t do our work halfheartedly. Lackluster effort will bear lackluster fruit. We need to spend ourselves fully on the page. Holding back won’t get us where we want to go.

How do we do this? Divine Sarah offers us a golden key: “Energy creates energy.”

We can’t let our mood or the day’s distractions sap our energy – our drive and go-power. We need to gather and focus it. Here are a few simple ideas for doing this that I am playing with myself and that you may find give you an energy boost:

Getting enough rest: I don’t know about you, but when I’m tired, I find it hard to focus and the day just seems to drift away from me. And let’s not forget that writing takes mental energy, so it can tucker you out. I’m working on going to bed at the same time each night, which is helping. Eating for fuel is also a power-producer.

Acting Enthusiastic: Here’s a tool I’ve been using that’s helping me: I’ve been listening to a chapter on generating enthusiasm by Frank Bettger from his book, How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling – it’s amazing! You can hear it read by calling 862.333.0024. It takes about 15 minutes, but it’s well worth it.

Wearing brighter clothes: I know it sounds a little crazy, but a lot of people sear by this technique and it’s so—ooo easy. Today, it’s raining outside and gray, but I’m brightening up myself by wearing a favorite coral sweater that adds some snap to my day. Yesterday I wore a lipstick-red one and it really perked me up. Adding color to your life, especially bright, cheerful ones like orange, red, or yellow can really enliven you. You can do this with flowers or plants or colorful posters or whatever gives you and your environment some zip.

Are there any simple strategies you use to give yourself an energy boost? If so, I’d love to hear them and share them as we all write on!