How to Reclaim Our Inner Spark

Stop scrolling for a second. Be honest with yourself. When was the last time you felt lit up, not just running on fumes?

Autumn has a way of draining us. Demands pile on. Suddenly our spark is buried under calendars and obligations that clearly missed the memo that we are only one person. Am I right?

That’s usually when autopilot kicks in. We move through the motions, get things done, but feel flat inside. The spark is still there. It’s just buried under the noise.

How to Trade Autopilot for Awareness

Mindfulness is how we trade autopilot for awareness. And that’s where energy lives. Neuroscience backs this up. A 2023 study found that people who practiced “awe spotting” for two weeks felt more alive and carried less stress in their bodies. Translation: what we choose to notice literally changes how our brains fire. Which means we can choose differently.

I’ve fallen into that drained place too. Overwhelm convinced me my spark was gone for a while. A mentor taught me a practice that flipped the script. Pause long enough to catch one spark each day. I want to share the same reset with you because we all lose sight sometimes.

One mindfulness coaching client loved this practice too. She began by noticing the way her dog greeted her at the door. It seemed too small to matter, but she built on that spark until her days felt lighter. That’s how this works for all of us. One spark, then another.

Try This: The Spark Hunt

Today, look for one thing that makes you feel awake. Not five. Not a list. Just one.

• The sound of a friend’s laugh that surprises you.
• Sunlight cutting across the kitchen counter.
• That one song you never skip.

Pause. Take one breath with it. That’s a spark. And it’s proof your nervous system still remembers how to light up. Even in busy seasons.

Reclaim Your Energy

Overwhelm is loud. Sparks are quiet. Our work this month is to notice the sparks and let them build. That’s how we reclaim our energy. One pause, one laugh, one unexpected flicker at a time.

“We each have an inner fire that never dies. It just waits for us to notice.” — Unknown