Energy to burn – Up Front

Recently, I was having a conversation with a friend over a cup of coffee when he shared with me how he was starting to feel burnout on his job. He simply felt overwhelmed with all the responsibilities and obligations in his life.

He could feel himself withdrawing from people and beginning daily battles with depression. It was pretty clear to me that his emotional reserves were running empty, and his energy level was so depleted that he wasn’t even aware how many cups of high-octane caffeine he was drinking during the day just to keep going.

Interestingly, I would guess most people couldn’t tell what was going on with my friend by just looking at him. He had developed an expertise in image management on the outside, even as he experienced a slow-motion implosion on the inside.

I knew where he was because I have experienced the same feelings. He was living and leading on empty. He wasn’t aware that each of us has an internal emotional and mental reservoir. There’s an input at the top and a drain on the bottom. Certain activities will drain you more than fill you, and others will fill you more than drain you.

The key is making sure you’re constantly filling your tank and not waiting till the gauge that measures your life’s energy reserve is on empty.

In a way my friend was like a car that someone has driven for years without an oil change. At some point, the light indicating that the oil level was on empty turned on, but he didn’t pay attention to it. He continued to drive and squeeze ten or twenty thousand more miles out of it. But eventually, that kind of neglect will come at the price of an engine that grinds to a total stop.

Our conversation got me thinking about how so many people don’t understand or recognize that the greatest asset in their lives is not time but energy. Research confirms that a person with energy can accomplish more in a few hours than one without energy would in a few days.

All of us have been given four types of energy: mental, emotional, spiritual and physical. What’s important to realize is that each of us has a finite amount of energy to invest each day, and how we invest it will make all the difference in our world. How, when and where we invest our daily energy is probably the most important decision we make on a daily basis.

If we’re not careful we can squander our energy on useless activities, worthless critics or foolish things that exhaust us, yet bring no value to our lives. Over the years, I have discovered that energy management not only adds balance to our lives, but also is one of the keys to living life to its full potential. It’s a mindset, a value, a decision, an intention.

Fashion month in Baton Rouge

If you’re a 225 Facebook fan, then this month’s cover model, Stacey Farnet, may look familiar to you. That’s because our fans picked her for the cover shot from four gorgeous models. You can see Farnet along with all of our models wearing fabulous fall fashions this month. 225 knows fashion—but so does our sister publication, inRegister magazine, which features an interview this month with the mother-daughter design team behind the red-hot BB Dakota. And not to be outdone, our B to B publication, Baton Rouge Business Report, also contains articles with fashion-related advice. It’s all part of our company’s celebration of “Fashion Month” in Baton Rouge.

To top it off, BB Dakota’s Gloria Brandes and her daughter Katharine will be in Baton Rouge on Sept. 22 to showcase their latest designs. They’ll join 13 great local boutiques and shops for the second annual Avenue Rouge Runway Fashion Show, to be held this year at Celtic Studios.

Unless you already nabbed one of the 500 tickets, you’re out of luck, as the show has sold out again. Watch for an online video of the show, as well as the photos we’ll showcase both online and in an upcoming issue of 225.

You’re sure to hear the buzz about it on the street. The event is presented by 225 and inRegister and produced in part by Paris Parker Salons and The Edible Event. Our thanks to show sponsors Williamson Cosmetic Center, Mercedes-Benz of Baton Rouge, Postlethwaite & Netterville, Tequila Patrón & Ultimat Vodka.

Fro-yo explosion

Frozen yogurt shops are popping up all over Baton Rouge, with new stores opening all the time. The latest feature self-serve yogurt in a variety of flavors with do-it-yourself toppings bars that offer everything from fresh mangos, figs and kiwis to all manner of candies, sauces and other goodies. Longtime 225 contributor Amy Alexander takes you on a tangy tour of these popular shops for the inside scoop.

Rising stars

No magazine in town has more loyal readership among young professionals and the 20- and 30-something crowd than Business Report. And that means a lot of readers under 40. Each year, Business Report recognizes the best and brightest with our 40 Under 40 feature. These are rising stars in our community, making their mark and making a difference—all of them under 40 years of age. To nominate yourself or someone you know, visit businessreport.com by Sept. 15 and click “Interact,” then “Award Nomination Forms.”