🎯 The Energy Exchange

Read time: 4.2 minutes

Welcome to Better at Life, the weekly newsletter where I share one simple, actionable idea you can put into practice today to build better habits, sharpen your mindset, and live with more intention.

I used to think low energy meant I needed more discipline.

A better routine.
More motivation.
A stronger morning mindset apparently crafted by someone who wakes up smiling at 5:12 a.m.

But lately, I’ve been noticing something simpler.

Some things give me energy.
Some things quietly take it.

And most weeks, the difference between feeling steady and feeling depleted has less to do with effort and more to do with what I’m regularly exchanging energy with.

We often treat energy like it appears out of nowhere.

As if we either have it or we don’t.

But energy is relational.

It changes based on what you interact with all day:

People.
Tasks.
Environments.
Habits.
Inputs.
Expectations.

Some exchanges leave you clearer, lighter, more alive.

Others leave you foggy, resentful, and weirdly tired by 2:30 p.m.

The goal is not to eliminate every drain.

It is to become aware of the pattern.

I call this The Energy Exchange.

A simple way to notice what fills you, what drains you, and adjust accordingly.


Write this down:

Your energy is shaped by what you repeatedly exchange it with.

This Week’s Action

Do a simple Energy Exchange Audit.

Draw two columns:

Fills Me
What consistently leaves you feeling better, clearer, calmer, stronger?

Examples:

  • A walk without your phone
  • One focused hour of work
  • Honest conversations
  • Strength training
  • Music while cooking
  • Time with grounded people

Drains Me
What regularly leaves you depleted, tense, scattered, irritated?

Examples:

  • Constant notifications
  • Saying yes too quickly
  • Cluttered spaces
  • Certain group chats
  • Tasks you keep postponing
  • Too much time around performative energy

Now choose:

  • 1 thing to increase
  • 1 thing to reduce

That’s enough for this week.

Why This Works

Most people try to create energy through intensity.

Push harder.
Do more.
Find more motivation.

But sustainable energy usually comes from alignment.

When you increase what fills you and reduce what drains you, your baseline changes.

You stop relying on motivation spikes.

You start living from steadier reserves.

Awareness creates better exchanges.

Better exchanges create better weeks.

Try This

For the next three days, ask yourself each evening:

What gave me energy today?
What took more than it gave?

Write down one answer for each.

Patterns reveal themselves quickly.

And look one layer deeper.

Sometimes what drains you is not the activity itself.

Work may not drain you.

Context switching might.

Friendships may not drain you.

Lack of boundaries might.

Weekly Reflection

Before you move on from this email, pause for a moment.

Ask yourself:

What consistently leaves me feeling lighter?
What repeatedly leaves me depleted?
What is one better trade I can make this week?

Write it down.

Then protect one source of energy this week.

If this idea feels useful, feel free to pass it along to someone who might need it this week.

You do not need to optimize every hour of your life.

You just need to notice what your life is costing you and what it is giving back.

Choose better exchanges.

See you next week β€” a little better at life.

______

Dr. Chris Mullen

Bring Better at Life to Your Organization

If these ideas resonate, this is also the work I bring into organizations and leadership teams.

I partner with organizations that want clearer thinking, stronger decision-making, and more sustainable performance.

Engagements typically include:

  • Keynote speaking for conferences and leadership events
  • Leadership development workshops for teams and managers
  • Team strategy sessions focused on alignment and execution

For senior leaders seeking deeper application, I also maintain a small executive coaching practice.

Bring these ideas to your team

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