With the holiday season upon us with its blizzard of expectations, deadlines, and sugar cookies, it’s easy to feel like you’re running on empty, juggling a million things while trying to appear as calm as a Zen master on a beach in Bali. But let me hit you with a life-changing concept that can help you survive this season—and actually thrive in it. It's called the Energy Investment Portfolio.

I know, I know, you probably just rolled your eyes thinking I’m about to tell you to put your energy in a 401(k). But bear with me. This isn’t about stocks, bonds, or crypto scams. This is about where you’re spending your energy, and more importantly, where you’re wasting it. And trust me, this is the most important investment you can make, especially when you’re sprinting toward the holidays like you’re in a real-life version of The Hunger Games.

The Holiday Energy Crisis

The holiday season is like a vortex of obligations. There are parties to attend, family members to please, food to shove into your face, and stress levels that could power a small city. It’s no wonder we often end up indulging in a few too many holiday cookies (if you’re like me it’s usually a lot of cookies) or find ourselves desperately trying to mediate awkward family encounters. The thing is, your energy during the holidays isn’t a bottomless pit. If you’re not careful about where you invest it, you’ll end up feeling like a deflated balloon by New Year’s.

This is why, right now, it’s time to assess your energy investment strategy or lack thereof.

The Energy Audit: Where Are You Spending Your Energy?

I encourage everyone I work with to do a little audit of their lives. Think of it like balancing your checkbook, except instead of money, you’re balancing your most precious resource: energy. Let’s take stock of where you're directing your attention and your emotional bandwidth, and ask yourself a few simple questions:

• What are the activities that leave you feeling alive and energized?

• What are the people or events that drain you faster than a toddler at a birthday party?

You’d be surprised how much of your energy is flowing into places that offer zero returns. Maybe it’s that annual holiday gathering with distant relatives who you can barely tolerate. Or that email chain with your boss who’s always "just checking in" (they’re probably just bored). The point is: Your energy is currency, and you should spend it wisely. You might think that some of these investments are necessary “evils” and you’d be right if you choose to see it that way. Yes, it’s a choice.

A Personal Shift: Less Is More (Sometimes)

For me, this exercise has led to some huge personal shifts, especially around the holidays. Take my morning routine, for example. I used to wake up at 5 a.m., do intense breathwork, jump into a freezing cold plunge, and then follow that with a grueling workout. It was like preparing for a marathon, except my marathon was life and frankly I kind of liked it that way.

But recently, after a pretty intense back injury flared up (thanks to 30 years of pretending I’m invincible), I decided to scale things back. Instead of forcing myself through a high-octane routine, I’ve swapped it for a gentler approach: soft meditation and gentle stretching.

The result? My mind feels clearer, my body feels better, and—surprisingly—my work has been more efficient. I can focus better on the analytical stuff, because I’m not burned out from trying to be a human machine. Funny how that works, right? Your body is a feedback loop: if you’re exhausted and miserable, it’s a sign you might be investing in the wrong things.

Divesting From Toxic Energy

Now, let’s talk about divesting. (Ooh, sounds fancy, huh?) Sometimes, you’ve got to cut your losses and stop putting energy into relationships or situations that just aren't worth it. For instance, I’ve had a complicated relationship with my brother for years. I’ve tried to connect, but every time I reached out, I felt like I was chasing after someone who just wasn’t that interested because frankly, he wasn’t.isn’t.

So, after some deep meditation and serious soul-searching, I decided to do a full “sell” on that relationship. And you know what? It has been incredibly liberating and healthy. Not only did I feel lighter, but I noticed that people around me started respecting my time and energy more. Why? Because I was respecting it myself. It was a choice I made for me first and it began to have an influence on my environment. I go into this more when we talk about quantum mechanics and laws of attraction on retreats and in coaching programs but universally, across the board, everyone I have worked with that has made this fundamental shift back to themselves has noticed a change in the people and circumstances around them.

Which leads me to my next example: the holiday guilt trip. My parents have been asking me to come home for Christmas. And every time I heard their requests, I felt this familiar pang of guilt. "But it’s Christmas, you should be with family, right?" I would hem and haw and say, "Maybe, we’ll see."

Well, last week, I finally did something radical: I said, "No. It’s not a good time for me to come home." And guess what happened? Two days later, my parents suggested coming out to me for a visit instead. Boom—the power of a strategic “no”, a deeper love and respect for myself, my boundaries and my energy.

The Power of Saying “No” to Say “Yes” to Yourself

The key takeaway here is simple: a “no” to one thing can lead to a resounding “yes” to something better. When you start investing your energy into what truly matters to you, the things that drain you (or make you want to claw your eyes out) start to fade away. When you begin to feel and act more authentically, you literally amplify your energy.

There is a law in physics called constructive interference, which is when two wavelengths of equal length meet and the size of the frequency doubles. Neither Einstein nor Newton could explain what this phenomenon is, but what this means is you can get energy from conversation. You can get energy from what you’re reading on this page … right now. See, you can get energy from people around you. On the opposite side of that spectrum, we’ve all had experiences with people who have sucked the energy out of the room.

Researchers are able to measure the frequency of energy leaving the human body during interactions and can even tell when someone is experiencing anger, passion or despair. We are actually going to be measuring this at a retreat next June! (wink wink) One of my most favorite scientific findings that I constantly reference is that the most powerful frequency ever measured leaving the human body is authenticity. It is 4,000 times more powerful than love!

Sure, you may have to engage with people who are impossible to avoid (I’m looking at you, in-laws and bosses), but even in those situations, you can be intentional about where your energy goes. It’s all about clear intentions and setting boundaries. By simply bringing awareness to a potentially challenging situation and changing the energy towards it, we can literally shift it’s outcome. It’s the same way that research has shown that if you have an injury in your body, simply bringing your mind’s awareness to it in a positive way can speed up the healing process. If you’re giving everything to everyone else, you’ll have nothing left for yourself—or for the things that bring you joy.

Wrapping Up: Your Best Investment Yet

So this holiday season, consider doing an energy audit. It can be helpful to write this down, bounce it off a friend or even put it in a spreadsheet if you’re a data nerd. Someone from our last retreat sent along an incredible time blocking sheet she had done for her investment portfolio!

It might just be the best gift you can give yourself. Invest in what fuels you, divest from what drains you, and say “no” to the things that are simply not worth the emotional price tag.

Because trust me—there’s no amount of eggnog or holiday cheer that can replace the power of your energy. Make sure you're spending it on things that make you feel good, not just busy. And who knows? You might just end up with a much happier and more energized New Year.

Now, go forth and enjoy your holiday season with a little more clarity and a lot less guilt. Your energy is your most precious asset—treat it like one!