When you start to peter out lesson plan

I have a sturdy battery-operated hedge trimmer. It gets the job done when bushes get ratty looking. But yesterday it wasn’t doing such a good job. Time for the battery to recharge.

Later, I thought about the battery, fixating on it being separated from its machine because one minute it’s driven, doing its job perfectly, then peters out. It occured to me that’s how I operate, too.

I don’t get lonely being separated from the world. I feel relief. Not just because I get to rest and recharge, I get to be away from the high-pitched grind and whine of the machine of my life and all its pressures. And like the battery now plugged in, I get energized by something invisible and silent. Maybe it’s just the purity of silence.

So, I’ve given this some thought, and here’s my lesson plan to recharge your own battery when you start to peter out.

1. Feel NO guilt for disconnecting and recharging. You’ll be less grumpy and more yourself, and function better once you hitch yourself back to the grind.

2. Don’t waste time in cuckoo land thinking about the past or the future during your battery recharge…unless you really want to drain yourself dead. Instead, listen to your favorite music and sing outloud, or do whatever makes your heart sing.

3. Venture out into a different neighborhood, like the type of place you wouldn’t normally visit. See if anything catches your attention or inspires you. This way, you’ll have something engaging to chew on when you settle back on your couch.

4. When your battery feels sufficiently charged, give yourself a high-five for cutting yourself some slack. Other folks will appreciate it, too.