BOOK REVIEW: Energy - Get it. Guard it. Give it.
Do you ever find yourself feeling flat, exhausted, grumpy or tired? Do you wish you had more energy in order to enjoy the good things in life, rather than getting to the end of the day and only having the motivation to veg on the sofa with a takeaway?
Then Energy is the book for you! It explores how you can be intentional with your energy, giving and receiving it deliberately, rather than having it taken from you, leaving you drained.
The sources of energy explained with good humour and grounded in real experience
Lisa O’Neill approaches the topic of energy with good humour and understanding. The book is divided into four energy sources, Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual, echoing the four walls of Mason Durie’s Te Whare Tapa Whā model (which will be familiar to the Kiwi readers amongst us).
Each section of the book focuses on one of the energy sources. It has a detailed explanation of the way energy impacts the source both positively and negatively. Lisa illustrates the topics with anecdotes from her life, helping to ground the concepts in real experience. She has also included helpful models that can be picked up and used straight away. The sections each finish with practical tips on how to get, guard and give energy for the specific energy source.
Easy to read, like sitting down for a friendly chat
I found Energy a really easy read. Lisa’s style is clear and conversational, making it feel like sitting down for a chat with an old friend over a coffee or a wine. Some of the ideas are not new; eating sensibly, drinking more water, getting more sleep, but are presented clearly and in a way which makes it easy to shift habits. I really loved the suggestion around phrasing a request for help as an opportunity for the person helping!
One of the joys of Energy is Lisa recognises everyone goes through highs and lows. A particular quote resonated with me:
“I think of my body as a bank balance. There are times when I make massive withdrawals: I eat badly, I don’t sleep enough and I push my body hard. Then, there are times when I curl up in blankets and drink broth and give her all the love and support I can, making deposits so I don’t get overdrawn!”
Lisa clearly shows her humanity in her writing, and makes it clear that it is OK to have days when things go wrong, or you have to push yourself harder, as long as you are kind to yourself afterwards.
Inspired to make changes that work for me
There are definitely elements of Energy that raised my eyebrows, particularly with the way Lisa approaches spirituality (she and I have very different world views!), but these were few and far between. Overall, Energy has left me with a much deeper insight into how the different sources of energy impact on my day-to-day life, and how to make the changes that work for me.
Review by Jo Toon FCIPS