WAVES OF EXPRESSION

As I’ve continued practicing presence in my daily life, I’ve started to notice something important:

There is a clear difference between when I feel energized and when I feel exhausted.

When I’m energized, I feel open.
I’m flexible, able to handle interruptions, and genuinely excited to participate in what’s in front of me. My creativity flows more freely, and I feel grounded in the moment.

But when I’m exhausted, everything shifts.

I find myself counting down the hours until something ends. I become more easily irritated. I feel tension building in my body. Even the things I love begin to feel heavy.

Recognizing this difference has helped me begin to ask a new question:

What is shaping my energy, and how can I protect it?

Noticing the Patterns

For me, Thursdays have become a clear example.

It is, without a doubt, my busiest day of the week. If you’re trying to reach me, Friday is usually a better option.

My Thursdays often look like this:

• Early morning Bible study at a coffee shop around 7am
• Work starting at 8am
• Helping with childcare mid-morning
• Back to work until early afternoon
• Class from 2 to 5pm
• A short break
• Another class from 7 to 10pm

Here’s the surprising part: I love every piece of this day.

And yet, by the time I reach my afternoon class, I’m fighting to stay awake. By my evening class, it’s hard to focus at all. When I wake up on Friday, I feel physically drained.

So the issue isn’t whether I enjoy my schedule.

It’s how that schedule is impacting my energy.

Focusing on What I Can Change

There are parts of my Thursday that aren’t flexible. I can’t change the timing of my classes or restructure my entire day.

But I can look at what is within my control.

Instead of trying to overhaul everything, I’ve started making small, intentional adjustments.

Starting the Day with Intention

One of the most grounding parts of my day is my early morning time at a coffee shop.

This isn’t something I’ll do every single day, but when I do, I notice a difference.

It gives me space to wake up slowly.
I’m not rushing straight into work.
I have time for reflection, for my faith, and for quiet.

There’s something about a warm cup of coffee, a calm atmosphere, and watching the sun rise that helps center me before the day begins.

It doesn’t just start my day, it shapes it.

Creating Space Within Work

Work is an area where I don’t have complete control, but I’ve realized I still have choices in how I move through it.

When I rush from task to task without pause, I carry that stress with me into the rest of the day.

But when I slow down, even briefly, I can reset.

Taking small breaks.
Stepping away for a moment.
Allowing myself to breathe between responsibilities.

These small shifts help me stay more present, not just productive.

Being Honest About What Drains Me

This has been one of the harder realizations.

Helping with childcare is something I genuinely love. It brings joy, laughter, and meaningful connection.

But it also drains me, especially on an already full day.

By the end of those hours, I often feel overstimulated and depleted.

On most days, I would gladly say yes.

But Thursdays are different.

If I want to protect my energy for my classes later in the day, I have to be more intentional here. That may mean saying no more often, unless I’m truly needed.

Not because I don’t care, but because I’m learning to steward my energy wisely.

Supporting Myself Through the Day

The rest of the day comes down to small, supportive choices.

Eating a good lunch away from my desk instead of rushing through it.
Giving myself a moment to reset before heading into class.
Choosing environments that help me focus, like doing schoolwork in a coffee shop rather than at home, where it’s easier to slip into rest mode.

These aren’t dramatic changes.

But they make a noticeable difference.

Protecting Energy Is Practicing Presence

At the heart of all of this is the same idea I keep coming back to: presence.

If I’m constantly drained, it becomes much harder to be present.
If I’m intentional with my energy, I create the capacity to actually engage with my life.

Protecting your energy isn’t about doing less for the sake of it.
It’s about doing what matters in a way that allows you to fully show up.

And sometimes, that means asking hard questions:

• What gives me energy?
• What drains me?
• Where do I need to create more space?

The answers won’t always be convenient.

But they will lead you toward a life that feels more grounded, more intentional, and more fully lived.