I am a person who wakes up at 4am, ready to conquer the world. That is my usual disposition. Some people label me as a “morning person.” I have a different perspective. I enjoy the peace and quiet available at that time. A quiet which allows me to hear God more clearly. Most people believe or think that the best response in a crisis is to act quickly; however, I beg to differ. The best response is to BE STILL and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit within you. My morning routine is BEING STILL, not doing something immediately. I listen for God’s guidance; however, this morning I was not being still, I woke up complaining to my husband that I was tired. Guess what happened? I lost an opportunity to hear God’s directives. I missed an opportunity to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.

HOW YOU START YOUR DAY IMPACTS YOUR HEALTH

How we start our day can impact our performance, if we are unable to interrupt the pattern. You can always interrupt any pattern; however, it depends on your desire. Do you wish to wallow in discomfort and subpar performance, or do you wish to be a peak performer? There are some obstacles to peak performance that must be addressed first.

1. Are you physically tired and need proper rest?
2. Are you spiritually misaligned and need to be realigned spiritually?
3. Are you emotionally spent and need to be refueled with love and gratitude?
4. Are you mentally drained and need your mind to be renewed?

HAVE CLARITY ABOUT YOUR CURRENT STATE

Our state influences the actions we take. Our state can also make us prone to doubts and thoughts that deplete us rather than empower us. Thus, it is always imperative to not only have clarity about your state, but to prioritize being in an empowered state. Therefore, if you are physically tired, get rest, sleep if you can, or meditate. Take the time to rest because it is impossible to function optimally if you are physically tired and depleted. As a physician, I had to be constantly mindful of my states.

1. What is your physical state right now?
2. What is your spiritual state at the moment?
3. What is your emotional state currently?
4. What is your mental state?

Sadly, when we are physically depleted or tired, all other states can be impacted. You become emotionally volatile, your mental state becomes cloudy, and you make rash decisions or think illogically. You may find that even your spiritual state takes a hit as you start to question God’s love and providence. Hence, we must be vigilant of our states and address our needs appropriately. Another area where we must have clarity is knowing our needs. So many people either are unaware of their needs or suppress their needs.

GET THROUGH THE DAY BETTER DESPITE YOUR STATE

Once you recognize you state, you can decide to suck it up and go forward in an empowered state or wallow in self-pity. I confess, there was a time when I frequently chose wallowing in self-pity. Self-pity is a recipe for disaster as you further compromise your TOTAL HEALTH. Do some little things that can help you get through the day until you can get home and get rest or sleep.

1. Pace yourself.
2. Check your water intake, dehydration amps up your fatigue.
3. Avoid caffeine or those energy drinks, they make things worse.
4. Breathe, give yourself 5-10 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing, it soothes the ragged edges.