Why We Are Constantly Trying to Calm Down or Wake Up
I went to the Natural Products Expo yesterday and was so full of glee — walking around tasting everything. And I noticed there are SO many drinks now. Cans everywhere. Almost all of them fall into one of two categories: they either mellow you out… or they jack you up. I’m guilty, I like them too.
But at some point I had this thought: are we reaching for these things because we don’t actually know how to work with our own energy anymore? Why don’t we know how to do this ourselves? Why do we have to buy it?
It feels like we’re chasing dopamine hits and sedation hits at the same time. Calm me down. Pump me up. Repeat.
And I started wondering: what happened to simply being present? Feeling what you’re going to feel without constantly trying to escape it?
Ayurveda would say the real work happens before the drink — in the foundational habits that regulate your energy, digestion, mood, and nervous system naturally.
Things like:
• Making sure you do 10 minutes of medium-to-high intensity movement every day — ideally outside — so you sweat a little. Honestly, this takes care of a lot: digestion, focus, mood, and that satisfying feeling of “okay, I showed up for my life today and I didn’t even have my coffee yet.”
• Making sure you steady your mind when under stress, so your emotions don’t run wild and muck up situations.
• Making sure you get outside daily a few times so the sun can kiss your face. Natural light and fresh air regulate the nervous system more than we give them credit for.
• Making sure 90% of what you eat comes from nature. No ingredient label needed. “This is an egg. And I will eat it.” Maybe scrambled. Maybe with kale or other veggies.
Now don’t get me wrong — I love a fizzy mellow drink or an energizing tea (hence my glee at the expo). I find them fun and they really can have an effect.
But walking around that expo yesterday, seeing just how many of them exist now, something dawned on me: people are clamoring for help to “drink their meditation.”
And I’m over here saying… sure, enjoy the drink. But do the foundational stuff first.
I’ve been practicing Ayurvedic principles daily for about 17 years now. It’s consistent. It’s boring. It’s a long game. But that’s how longevity actually works.
In Ayurveda, too much or too little of anything creates imbalance. Extremes throw us off. The goal is to walk the middle path.
And that middle path isn’t something we consume. Sometimes it’s just going outside and sweating a little.
If you want help building these foundational habits into your life, you can explore my Anti-Burnout Bundle, where I walk through simple Ayurvedic tools to regulate energy, calm the nervous system, and feel better in daily life.
