How Your Energy Levels and Attitudinal State Shape Your Reactions, Stress, and Leadership
In the last seven blogs, I’ve named all the energy levels – or attitudinal states – that we embody at all times. These states blend in different combinations on good days and on days when we perceive stress. And while all of them are always present, the mix looks different from person to person. Some states rise to the surface more than others depending on what you’re experiencing in any given moment.
We are shaped by every experience and every person who has influenced us up until now. Through those filters – conscious or unconscious – we’ve formed our belief systems and the way we approach situations. Sometimes those filters help us succeed. Other times, they limit us or keep us from the version of success we want (and each of us gets to define what success means).
These filters directly influence how we react and respond, how we think, and how we perceive tension or stress.
And unlike your personality – which is relatively stable – you can consciously choose the energy or attitude you embody and how you show up in the world. Each state has advantages and disadvantages. The power isn’t in the state itself, but in knowing when and how to leverage each one.
Why does all of this matter? It matters because the energy level you’re operating from shapes everything – how you interpret what’s happening around you, how you make decisions, how you communicate, and how you lead yourself and others. Most people move through their days without realizing that their reactions are not fixed traits but conditioned responses shaped by old experiences, stress patterns, and unconscious beliefs. When you begin to understand these states, you start to see that you have far more choice than you ever realized.
This awareness becomes a turning point. Instead of defaulting to stress, frustration, or over-functioning, you can pause long enough to choose a different way of showing up. You can shift from reacting to responding. From judgment to curiosity. From pressure to presence. And those shifts – even the smallest ones – change the quality of your relationships, your leadership, your creativity, and your overall well‑being.
Understanding these states also helps you recognize what’s happening underneath the surface. You start to notice the patterns that drain you, the situations that activate you, and the moments when you slip into old habits that no longer serve you. With that awareness, you can interrupt the cycle and choose a state that aligns with who you want to be, not just who you’ve been.
This matters because this actually puts you in control of your life. It gives you the ability to navigate stress with more clarity, to access creativity more easily, and to lead with intention instead of autopilot. And over time, these choices compound – creating a more grounded, conscious, and empowered way of moving through the world.
Catabolic energy is like carrying a backpack full of wet sand and trying to go about your life with it on. When we perceive stress, we dip into this heavy, constricting energy because our system is overwhelmed and trying to cope while still functioning. We want catabolic energy to stay low because it’s directly tied to stress.
Anabolic energy is the opposite. It’s constructive and associated with less stress. The more anabolic energy you embody, the easier it becomes to tap into creativity, solutions, and synergy. There’s less judgment and fear here, which means you get to have more conscious experiences.
Neither type of energy is good or bad – they both serve a purpose. What matters is being aware of which energies are at play and choosing them because they serve you, not because they’re familiar. This requires strong self‑awareness and moment‑to‑moment consciousness.
Think of the energy levels as a continuum. The lowest levels carry the most catabolic energy and the least consciousness. The highest levels carry the most anabolic energy and the highest consciousness. Each level has a core thought, a core emotion, and a core action.
Level 1: Disempowerment – feeling apathy – being lethargic
Level 2: Conflict – feeling anger – being defiant
Level 3: Responsibility – feeling forgiving – being cooperative
Level 4: Concern – feeling compassion – being of service
Level 5: Reconciliation – feeling peace – being accepting
Level 6: Synthesis – feeling joy – being wise
Level 7: Non‑judgment – feeling absolute passion – being a creator
If you’re curious, I encourage you to revisit the earlier blogs for a deeper look at each level.
Grab the closest piece of paper/pen and write:
What were your initial thoughts as you read through these energy levels/attitudinal states?
What feelings came up for you?
Where in your body did you feel tension or release?
How curious are you about your own combinations of energy – on a good day or when you perceive stress?
The first time I learned about my own energy profile and stress reaction, my mind opened up. I became more introspective (even more than I already was), more conscious, and more willing to ask myself why I felt the way I did – not just on the surface, but underneath the reaction. As my self‑awareness grew, my stress levels lowered. And most importantly, I became more confident in who I am and who I’m becoming.
It’s not a walk in the park – but it’s a walk I choose to take. I’m serious about my growth as a human, a mom, a member of a family and community, a friend, a partner and a leader beyond my profession.
If this sparks curiosity and you want to learn more about your own profile, let’s chat.
Before you move on with your day, take a moment to follow one small flutter of curiosity – the tiniest spark that pulls your attention.
A color. A sentence. A sound. A thought.
Follow it for five minutes without asking it to become anything.
This is how conscious awareness begins: not with force, but with a single, gentle yes.
If you want more daily coaching musings and creative prompts to deepen your self‑awareness and reconnect with your creative self, come join me over on Coaching.Creatives
