Dumsor* (doom-sore) is a Ghanaian phrase used in reference to the frequent power outages and rolling blackouts that are epidemic to the country; it translates loosely as “off-and-on”. Upon reading the term, I immediately thought, “How do we as individuals, how can I, avoid energy or motivation blackouts/outages?”
How can I stay my best self always? Or at least longer for starters? (Baby steps first if necessary, but onward, forward, upward always!)
Several ways came to mind:
– Eliminate negative thinking (BIG energy drain); stay positive in my focus/thoughts, surround myself with positive people.
– Return Frequently/Daily to a Source of Inspiration. At home, my reading chair is surrounded by uplifting literature; most mornings I pick up a tome and open it randomly, read until I find an “ace I can keep” for the day.
– Have a plan for the day, week, month, year, and more; targets, deadlines, and dreams that pull you forward, spur you onward. Even something as small as the sense of satisfaction derived from crossing the last thing off your “to-do” list will help you find the energy you need.
Closing Quotes
“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” – Eleanor Roosevelt, 1884-1962; America’s longest serving 1st Lady
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins, ‘Unlimited Power’, ‘Awaken the Giant Within’
“Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams. Think not of your frustrations but of your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with how you tried and failed but with what it is still possible for you.” – Pope John XXIII
*The term is derived from two separate words from the Asante Twi, the Akuapem Twi or Fante dialects of the Akan language: dum (to turn off or quench) and sɔ (to turn on or to make light), so the term roughly translates as “off-and-on”. The frequent Ghanaian blackouts are caused by a power supply shortage; generating capacity is currently 400-600 megawatts less than Ghana needs thus load is shed via rolling blackouts. As of 2015, the dumsor schedule went from 24 hours with light and 12 without to 12 hours with light and 24 without. The long blackouts contrast with other countries, where blackouts roll rapidly so that no residential area is without power for more than one hour at a time. – Wikipedia
As always, I share what I most want/need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier
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