Sorry pancakes, you didn't recharge me this weekend.

Is that double shot of espresso what’s making you feel alive today? 

But really. What makes you feel alive? That revives your weary spirits? That makes you say a full throttled YES? 

I’m talking about that thing when you are doing it, you go:

• more please!  

• Is suddenly everyone cheering me on because they feel see me shinning?

• Am I cheering myself on because I feel my inner spark?

Three things that make me have a full throttled YES: teaching, facilitating and learning.  

Teaching, facilitating and learning are juicy, juicy things for me! They activate my sense of purpose! It’s a sweet spot of harnessing my strengths as a hypewoman, my love of learning, my purpose to build community! 

This past weekend, I took an intensive seminar to become a League Cycling Instructor to be able to support the Circle and Spoke community (aka YOU!) to feel more ease, confidence and strength cycling. 

Entering the seminar, I was concerned the intensive nature would sap my energy. 

I wouldn’t have time to do my favorite weekend things: eat pancakes, nap, go to the farmer’s market, hang with friends, nosh on challah!

It’s been a bit of a wacky summer with travel, a family wedding and preparation for the upcoming Wild Gift Fellowship. At some moments, I’ve felt drained and tired. I don’t drink coffee, but at times I’ve needed that metaphorical double shot of espresso. 

The League Cycling Instructor seminar was an intensive and extensive weekend clocking in 24 hours of learning in less than 48 hours, including long stretches in the bike saddle in the DC sunshine and humidity. 

Despite the intensity of the weekend, I was ecstatic and energized.  

As the seminar was wrapping up one of my classmates remarked to me, “Ellen, you have something really special and I can’t wait to see what you do with it.” 

Throughout the weekend, I got to teach bike skills, lead a group ride and expand my knowledge of safe cycling.

The opportunity to teach and to learn :

• activated parts of my brain that light up a great sense of purpose.

• gave me an outlet for my limitless enthusiasm and love for connection. 

• made me grow personally, professionally and intellectually.

Walking into the weekend, I was concerned this weekend would would inhibit my ability to recharge. I really needed time to recharge.

Yet, the weekend brought me closer to myself. I was engaged in what makes me feel alive! I was engaged in a lot of full throttled YESes.

This wasn’t a weekend intensive in just anything. It was a weekend intensive surrounded by the things that make me feel alive and go YES! Of course that would recharge me… ! 

• So, what makes you feel alive? 

• What makes you feel a sense of purpose? 

• Something that makes you do a full throttled YES? 

Particularly, if you’ve been feeling a bit weary, can you carve out 15 minutes today to find an opportunity to schedule in some of that “full throttled YES” time this week…. It’s not just one more thing to add to your plate.

It might just be the secret sauce to shift gears to recharge your energy! 

Wheels up, 

Ellen

PS- Survey Says! We are mapping out our daylong retreat on Sunday, October 6th. We’d love your input on the theme of the day.

Take this 49 second survey and if you join on October 6th, you’ll get two entries into the end of ride raffle!