It seems pretty extreme doesn't it - walking on fire? Why would anyone do that?  And why would you do that to get more energy? Because fire is simply a metaphor.

Although I'm very happy with my energy levels, last month, I tested my limits at Unleash The Power Within, a weekend seminar with Tony Robbins.  If you don't know, this is an intense event that includes little sleep and a crazy amount of movement, including walking on hot coals.

The focus of the four days is to learn how to live fearlessly and with passion. Or simply put – how to achieve any goal you desire.

First, you must have the right strategy. Next you must change your story to one that empowers. Finally, you must change your state of mind to get completely focused and certain. Without these 3 components your results will be less than stellar.

I loved this model because it allowed me to see why some of my clients still struggle to get more energy.  Sure they have the right strategy (I walk them through it step by step). But often they have a story that gets in their way. Or they can never truly get into the state of mind they need to have to change their behavior because they don’t believe more energy is even possible.

Today, I want to give you a few personal examples of how Tony's triad works to help you create more energy.

My Unleash the Power Story – Part I

My first experience of the triad began before I even got in the car to travel to the event.  A week before, I noticed I was nervous. Not about walking on fire (probably because I believed I wouldn’t do it), but about the physical toll the weekend would put on my body.

The seminar is intense. It’s 50 hours in 3 and a half days.  There’s lots of standing, jumping, screaming, shouting and dancing.  There are only 2 meal breaks of any length during the weekend.

This is not exactly what I think of as radical self-care.  I thought about not going.  I told myself “I have this diagnosis of MS. I have to get 8 hours of sleep each night.  I have to eat. If I over do it, I’ll get sick.”

The true story I discovered is that I am strong. I’m healthy. I’m savvy. I know how to take care of myself, even in the most intense circumstances.

How did I forget this? How did I lose this truth? How did I doubt myself, despite all I know and do? How did fear creep in and make me scared to live without me even knowing it?

Again, it comes back to beliefs.  We all have them. Sometimes they lie deep within us. Until we look at them – layer upon layer – we never know they are there.

I see this with my clients all the time.  Doing great. Losing weight, getting off meds, getting active again. BAM. Sabotage.

But why?

The root of all sabotage is a belief that triggers the fear we won’t be loved.

That’s why we’ve all sabotaged ourselves at some point.

So instead of staying home, I ditched my story that I would get sick and therefore lose your love and response.  I then put together a strategy to stay energized. I also put myself in the right state of mind – I became certain that I would stay strong and healthy throughout the event and beyond.

I packed my juicer and Vitamix. I loaded my cooler with vegetables and got on the road. My strategy was to alkalize throughout the weekend. This works for a crazy seminar or everyday life.  Here’s a sampling of how I alkalized:

• Green juice: kale, cucumber, romaine, green apple, and lemon
• Berry Green Smoothie: kale, wheat grass powder, berries, mango, chaga mushroom broth, a variety of super foods
• Chia seed pudding: chia seeds, almond milk, raw honey, cinnamon, vanilla, berries.
• Kale and quinoa salad with tahini dressing.
• A few raw snack bars.

The result was the most rocking, transformational, energizing good time I’ve had in my life.  Despite 14 hours of sleep over 3 nights and non-stop activity, I was so energized I went for a run during the Sunday lunch break.  The Energizer bunny had nothing on me.

My "Unleash The Power" Story – Part II

But the big question is did I walk on fire?  You bet.

After 12 hours of mental and physical preparation, I took off my socks and shoes and headed outside with five thousand others.  I couldn’t see anything. Being 5’2” inhibited my view.  But en mass, among a crowd of people chanting yes, I went with the flow.

As we got closer to the coals, people got excited and were ready to go (I still couldn’t see a thing). I started getting pushed around.  I lost my focus. (No, the metaphor is not lost on me).

When it was my turn to step onto the grass (the launch pad for the walk), I didn’t have it in me. I could only think of how crazy and risky this was. I stepped out of line, not sure I would return.

On the sideline I had a conversation with myself that went something like this:

“You don’t have to do this? People would understand.”

“But you told all those people you were coming to walk on fire. How embarrassing will it be to tell them you didn’t?  What will you tell them if you bail out?”

“You are sooooo going to regret NOT doing this.”

“What else in my life am I NOT doing because I’m afraid?”

Oddly, I always think of myself as living without regret and fear.  But somehow I had gotten to the point where I was unwittingly holding back.  I was holding back in my health (see the example above), life’s mission, and relationships.

So as I stepped back in line, I stepped back into my life.

When I stepped onto those coals, the world went black. I saw nothing, heard nothing. I only felt the fluff of coals (not hot) under my feet.  I was dancing with my fear. I was completely focused. I was alive.

When I reached the other side, 12 feet later, I rejoiced like a crazy woman. And I was the most energized I had ever been.

Crowding Out the Bad With The Good

My Unleash The Power Within weekend re-affirmed my belief that there are three things that create more energy and less dis-ease:

• The food that nourishes our cells so they produce optimal energy.
• The thoughts that direct our cells to produce either energy or dis-ease and fatigue.
• Aligning yourself with your purpose, whether through career, volunteering or a hobby.

But how?  The core message (as I see it) from Tony’s teachings is this: crowd out the bad with the good.

Crowd out the bad, fatigue creating foods with the energizing, alkalizing foods.

Crowd out the dis-empowering stories, beliefs and thoughts with the empowering stories, beliefs and thoughts.

Crowd out the energy sucking, negative, draining activities with the energizing, passion filled activities.

When you do, the result is more . . .

•  freedom
•  energy
•  love
•  healing
•  passion

What’s Your Story?

We all have a story that is holding us back from our goals.  Whether we want to lose weight, have more energy, or have more clarity. The first step in crowding out the dis-empowering story is to identify it.  Share your story in the comments below and share your new empowering story that will open the door to more energy.

Free to be energized,