Grit, Gratitude, & Grace Newsletter

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1 Insight From Me

May 2024. I had plenty of time.

Unemployed, so no job taking hours. Mornings at home. Afternoons available. Evenings free.

But I had zero energy.

Running on fumes. Caring for Florena through treatment. Processing financial stress. Grieving loss. Managing fear.

I could have had 16 hours a day free and still couldn't do anything productive with it because my energy was depleted.

That's when I learned: Time management is worthless without energy management.

Most people are doing this backward. They're optimizing their schedule (time management) when they should be optimizing their energy (energy management).

You can't think clearly when your energy is depleted, even if you have hours available. You can't create when your spirit is empty. You can't care for others when you're running on fumes.

So in 2024, I stopped managing time and started managing energy.

Energy management meant:

Protecting my morning routine religiously—not because I was obsessed with productivity, but because it recharged my entire system for the day.

Saying no to energy vampires—not out of rudeness, but out of necessity for survival.

Choosing the right work—not the most work, but the work that energized me instead of depleted me.

Building in recovery time—not as luxury, but as essential maintenance.

Physical recovery: walks, water, sleep. Without it, my body was a liability.

Emotional recovery: time with Florena and time with friends. Without it, I became bitter.

Spiritual recovery: daily Scripture, meditation, prayer. Without it, I lost my anchor.

Mental recovery: journaling, reflection, rest. Without it, I cycled through the same anxious thoughts.

Here's the paradox: When I stopped trying to optimize time and started protecting energy, I got more done.

Why? Because I was doing things from a place of fullness, not depletion. Energy quality matters more than hours worked.

By the time I got the job in December, it wasn't because I'd managed my calendar better. It was because I'd managed my energy better—which meant I showed up to interviews from a place of authentic confidence instead of desperate performance.

2 Quotes

"Energy, not time, is the fundamental currency of high performance." - Tony Schwartz

II.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

1 Challenge

The Energy Audit

For the next three days, track your energy, not your time.

Each morning: Rate your energy 1-10 Each evening: Rate your energy 1-10

Notice what depletes you and what replenishes you:

Energy vampires (people, activities, obligations)
Energy sources (rest, connection, creation, nature)

Then protect one energy source this week ruthlessly. Say no to one energy vampire.

Watch what changes.

Remember: Feed your mind. Fuel your actions. Find your fire. 🔥

Want more frameworks like this? My book Mindset Metamorphosis includes the complete energy management system for maintaining performance during high-demand seasons.