(Although this article is geared towards small business owners, information is just as applicable to a similar personal situation, only action is slightly different.)

Here is scenario. You have begun your day at work. Your day is planned ahead, with big challenges first. You want to finish these up, get them out of way and take a little time off this afternoon for yourself. You deserve and need it to stay your best for your family, yourself and your customers.

Just as you get into your first task of morning, phone rings. "I need help right now!" It's Joe Blow, your most troublesome customer (friend).

For last six months, Joe has been coming to you with his problems (never challenges or opportunities) expecting you to drop everything and help him. From very beginning you realized it was probably a mistake to have taken Joe on as a customer. No matter how much you charge Joe for your services, Joe will never be satisfied, and you will never make a profit.

Joe, and customers like him, seem to have an innate ability to attract problems as honey does bees. Of course he blames everyone else, waits until last minute, and calls you to bail him out.

What do you do?

The Need for Speed

We know that cleaner gasoline we feed our car, faster, further and longer our car will run-and with less wear and tear. Gee, what would our Earth adventure be like if we tried this same approach with our personal lives?

Clean, Lean Energy Machine

When we feed our bodies and goals with clean, lean fuel, we have strength and stamina to create our dreams with ease, speed and longevity-and look good doing it to boot!

Shamanize Your Life

A shaman eats to live, rather than living to eat. A shamaness uses food to fuel her dream, rather than to be her dream. A shaman knows that true purpose of food is to give us energy to express our unique spirit fully and gracefully.

Food is Not Only Physical

I'm not talking only about eating of physical food. Everything we take into our energy field is food-for our body and for our soul. Every thought, conversation and activity either gives us energy, or takes energy away from us.

Self-loving people only eat-take in-those interactions and pursuits that nourish them and increase their level of aliveness. When a relationship, job or belief leaves you drained, tired or confused, that fuel is not nurturing. But when you have a friend who inspires, encourages and validates you, you prosper by hanging out with that person. When you go to a livelihood each day that allows you to fully express your true spirit, you're enriched by that calling. When you have a conviction that bears beauty and bounty in your life, you're served well by that point of view.

Eat What is Most Digestible

Take in those foods, people and endeavors that you most easily digest, assimilate and integrate. The less energy it takes to absorb a certain fare, personality or enterprise, more energy you are ultimately going to get out of it. This is good judgment of choosing "low maintenance" lovers and friends versus "high maintenance" of demanding, discontented partners.

Eat Only What's Necessary

Take in only amount of worldly nourishment, resources and social exchange that is ideal for peak performance. When Jesus advises us to "fast from world," he's not suggesting we refrain from eating altogether, or cease interacting with world totally. The savvy sage uses word "fast" to mean "fast from excess." Eat only amount of physical fuel you need for optimal efficiency of your body. Interact with turbulence of social affairs only to degree necessary to accomplish your goals. Lean and clean.

This is strategy shamans refer to as "touching world lightly." Be involved with cultural conventions only to degree necessary to function socially. Overeating physical food can cause sluggishness, nausea and constipation. Over-absorption with limitations and contradictions of cultural mores can cause you to get confused, drained, overwhelmed, emotionally backed up-and, consequently, very ineffective and unhappy. Be in world, but not "of it."

Go to Bed Empty