Sunshine!
I feel so much more sluggish when the weather is rainy and/or cloudy.
But give me a sunny day and I feel perkier both physically and mentally.
Sun is good any time of day, but my very favorite sunshine is the early morning variety.
I like mornings anyway, because they feel so full of potential; so fresh and new. So, sunshine combined with everything I like about mornings? Super good.
What else gives me energy?
A to-do list filled with things I want to do.
Exercise.
Being with other people (sometimes)
Being by myself (sometimes)
(why yes, I do test as an ambivert!)
And perhaps the most obvious: a good night of sleep. Without a good night of sleep, it’s hard for these other energy-giving things to make a dent in my tiredness!
Eating well. Specifically, NOT eating sugar and other carbohydrates. The fatigue from that for me is real and debilitating.
A good, upbeat, song to which I know all the words. 🙂
Spending time with a friend. I think of myself as an introvert, but I feel recharged after being with a friend, especially if deep conversation and laughter are involved.
My first thought was sunshine also.
The intangible one is having the space to get The Other Things done. This happens alongside with a bunch of different things — Monday; a change in routine; witnessing a need that I can do something about; the relief that comes with completion of a big project; having a contingency plan for child care; knowing for whatever reason that I don’t have to be the one cooking supper.
strike “with”
Cool, crisp weather energizes me. I actually don’t like sun very much. I’m odd that way. I’m come alive when it’s cool. Also, being around friends energizes me. Nothing like good conversation.
Sara, My brother is that way too and my mother was that way as well. She lived her last 10 years in Seattle and loved it and, oddly enough, that’s now where my brother is too. It’s interesting to hear that there are others who prefer cool crisp days. I’m on the sunshine side of the fence with Kristen. I recently moved to a place that has 300+ days of sunshine per year and love it! As a side note, Yuma Arizona which is about 90 minutes from where I live is considered the sunniest place on earth. On EARTH. Incredible.
A good workout!! Evwn when I’m dog tired, it perks me up.