Life Energies and Sheltering in Place

People are handling sheltering in place in very different ways. Part of that has to do with Life Energies. When you see how your primary Life Energy plays into how you are feeling and responding, you can begin to be kinder to yourself and others.

A quick refresher about Life Energies (click here or here for more in depth articles):

• Aliveness – outgoing, desires the company of others, and wants to experience everything
• Truth – quiet, introspective, desires meaning, and wants to know and understand
• Workability – productive, responsible, desires no problems, and wants to be doing

So, you can see that each Life Energy would respond to sheltering in place differently. When you are with the same people day-in and day-out those differences will be magnified.

This is what I’ve been hearing from people.

• Aliveness – I miss being with people! Video conferencing is ok, but I want to see people.
• Truth – I’m kinda liking not having to interact with so many people – no chit chat needed.
• Workability – I’ve created two whiteboards to schedule distance learning, chores, and work.

Now layer in not only Life Energies, but also the many different roles you’re trying to juggle – working from home, managing distance learning for your kids, trying to create some normalcy for you and your family. On top of that, they are getting on your last nerve with all of this togetherness!

The challenge comes in when you judge yourself, your family, or your colleagues for how they are dealing with being at home. I have to admit, I lost my cool the other day and said to John, “Do you have to be so Truth-y right now?” I wanted him to be as enraged as I was about whatever tipped me over the edge that day. And, of course, he was never going to respond that way because it’s not in his nature.

Here’s a chuckle for you. Last night I realized that my Aliveness self has taken to talking to the television. “Don’t do it! There’s going to be someone lurking in the woods!” “Don’t let her walk away! She’s the best thing that ever happened to you.” “Watch out, it’s going to crash!” “Use your steal, Kelly!” Notice they are all said with exclamation points. John just looks at me and shakes his head. Oh well, I really have to talk to more people!

How does your Life Energy play into how you are sheltering in place? How about the other people at home with you? Does this help you to see why one person needs more interaction, one needs more quiet time, and one needs more structure? Share your experiences below. And, let me tell you, you are doing great!