The Quiet Warrior Podcast with Serena Low

88. Change Your Energy, Change Your Life – with Cornelia Kawann

• Serena Low, Introvert Coach for Quiet Achievers and Quiet Warriors

Share episode

How do you find the courage to make bold transitions in life and leadership? In this moving conversation, I sit down with Cornelia Kawann, a leader, mentor, and advocate for personal growth, who has walked the path of change with resilience and authenticity.

Cornelia shares her journey of navigating uncertainty, finding inner strength, and aligning her choices with what matters to her. From career shifts to personal reinvention, she offers timeless wisdom for introverts, quiet achievers, and anyone facing moments of transition.


What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • Embracing Transitions: Why change feels daunting—and how to meet it with clarity.
  • Courage in Uncertainty: Cornelia’s personal story of stepping into the unknown with trust.
  • Redefining Leadership: What it means to lead with authenticity and presence.
  • Resilience in Practice: Tools and mindsets for navigating setbacks without losing hope.
  • The Introvert’s Advantage: How quiet reflection creates deeper clarity and connection.
  • Purpose and Passion: Aligning decisions with what truly lights you up.


Memorable Quotes

“Transitions are invitations to rediscover who we really are.” – Cornelia Kawann

“Resilience isn’t about never falling down—it’s about trusting that you can rise again, stronger and clearer.” – Cornelia Kawann


Resources & Links Mentioned

Check out Cornelia Kawann’s new book Change Your Energy – Change Your Life

Europe: https://amzn.to/3HgUdEL

US: https://amzn.to/3Fkrj65


Download Cornelia Kawann’s complimentary e-book: Energetic Stress Management - The New Way to Deal With Stress

https://www.corneliakawann.com/e-book/


CONNECT WITH CORNELIA:

Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/cornelia.kawann.37/ 

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/cornelia_energy_on/ 

Website

https://www.corneliakawann.com/ 

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cornelia-energy-on/ 

TikTok 

https://www.tiktok.com/@corneliaenergyon


If you enjoyed this episode, please:
Subscribe to The Quiet Warrior Podcast so you never miss an empowering conversation.
Rate and review the show to help more introverts and quiet achievers find it.
Join the Visible Introvert community for tips, resources, and reflections at https://serenalow.com.au


This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

Speaker 1:

Hi, I'm Serena Loh. If you're used to hearing that introverts are shy, anxious, antisocial and lack good communication and leadership skills, then this podcast is for you. You're about to fall in love with the calm, introspective and profound person that you are. Discover what's fun, unique and powerful about being an introvert, and how to make the elegant transition from quiet achiever to quiet warrior in your life and work anytime you want, in more ways than you imagined possible. Welcome, Welcome to the Quiet Warrior podcast.

Speaker 1:

Today, we have an interview with Dr Cornelia Kawan, who is an executive in the Swiss electricity regulator and the founder of EnergyOn. During her corporate career, she has held various management positions in several energy companies in Europe, all the while founding two startups. She stems from an Austrian family of entrepreneurs, which is why building companies and problem solving is in her DNA. As a personal energy strategist, Cornelia empowers ambitious entrepreneurs and businesses to reach their goals through energy management and energetic business strategies. She explains to her clients the world of quantum physics and shows them how to manage their energy to reaching their goals and to transform not only their lives but their businesses. As a public speaker and author of Change your Energy, Change your Life, Cornelia's mission is to make the simplicity and magic of personal energy management popular. Welcome, Dr Cornelia Kawan, to the Quiet Warrior podcast.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much, Serena, for having me. It's a pleasure being here and I'm really excited.

Speaker 1:

I'm so glad. The first question I have for you, Cornelia, is the pivot, the career journey. How and why did you pivot from an engineering career to what you do now?

Speaker 2:

Actually it's a very good question and it was not planned at all, and so being an engineer was always very close to my heart. But of course, then I grew up and learned that with the Newton's theme, which in a way said everything that you can't measure, you can't touch and you can't see, that doesn't exist, and uh, and then in a way, um, on doing my research, you know, I, I discovered quantum science and, um, there, uh, I learned in a way, there is so much more than things out there we don't see. And it's in a way the same with, um, with our wi-fi or electromagnetic fields. Yeah, you all can't see them, or some people do feel them, and but you always can measure it. And so, um, I, I even dove deeper and figured out you know, there is so many similarities between our own body and electric energy.

Speaker 2:

And if you look like at our cells, right, there is always between the cell center, or the nucleus, and the cell membrane. If it's a really healthy cell, then it needs to have about minus 70 millivolts. And even our nervous system, our communication of our brain, you know this is milliampere. There are little currents flowing through our system. So if you look at it from a from a physical point of view, we are kind of a walking battery.

Speaker 2:

And then I thought you know, we, if we believe in all these electromagnetic fields and electric energy, why is it difficult to understand that? We are kind of have this electromagnetic field around us. And then I started experimenting with this electromagnetic field, kind of applying my expertise and knowledge from the electric engineering field to our personal energy, like recharging or how to how to work with resistances or blockades and even how to expand my electromagnetic field or set electric boundaries, so I could see that this everything applies, it works, and people started noticing. And then they came to me and said what are you doing? You look differently, you're acting in a different way, and that's how the whole thing got started.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for sharing that. I love that you call your business Energy On, but it makes me think of a switch that is always on. So does that mean having your energy on means you are switched on all the time? You're engaging with people all the time, and what about people whose energy is naturally low or soft or quiet?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, actually the idea was to really kind of switch it on right your energy and of course, if you feel like you can also switch it off right your energy, and of course, if you feel like you can also switch it off right. And I know people that do have too much energy, even in the evening so they can't even fall asleep because there is too much energy they haven't used physically during the day and they can also kind of let flow this surplus of energy out of the system. And then the other way, that's the same way as electric electric systems work. On the other way, you can also recharge your system if you don't have enough.

Speaker 2:

And what I in a way, what I in a way noticed that most people I think there's a difference between people having low energy and introverts, because Because, from my perspective, introverts, they don't need to have necessarily low energy, it's just that their energy is perceived in a different way but they still can have a lot of energy and can be a powerful, quiet energy, whereas extroverts, they kind of have a louder energy, people notice more, but if you have a strong energy, people will notice anyway, either you're an introvert or an extrovert, and this energy on is more about those people who don't have much energy but would like to have more. And here it's more about yeah, you can like, we do it every day. We recharge our, our phones when they, you know the battery goes down, but most people don't know how to recharge their own energy. And that's what it is more about, because what I've learned during my yeah, my journey with my clients, in a way, and also myself you know, when you have little energy, you're more in survival mode, because then you get up in the morning already with your long to-do lists, your days are very repetitive and this is very tiring and you're exhausted and you don't even have energy to try something new or do certain things in a different way or do more, because you're really on the limit and you just try to keep up, whereas what I noticed with myself, if you have like so much more energy, life is perceived as easier and so much more fun.

Speaker 2:

And why is that? Because you don't see it many things as a problem, because you know you have the energy to solve it. And you also see more solutions, because, in a way, your system knows this person has the energy to actually execute these, um, these, these ideas and these solutions, and that's why you get the impression yeah, you can manage, you're more resilient because you're kind of a high energy person, and that's what's the idea behind Energy. On.

Speaker 1:

Right. So this is not about volume, this is about capacity. This is about expanding someone's capacity so that they feel they have the ability to handle problems, to come up with solutions, to be more creative, to do all the things they want to do and they're not constantly feeling tired or feeling overwhelmed. Or feeling drained. Is that right overwhelmed?

Speaker 2:

or feeling drained. Is that right? Exactly that's what I noticed. With more energy, you're more in the. You're more a person you described at the beginning. Right, Be more creative, because energy gives you this freedom.

Speaker 1:

Yes, so energy gives freedom. Now you see in your LinkedIn profile that the one thing ultra successful business women are doing is they are not managing their time, they are managing their energy. Can you talk to us about the difference?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you know I'm a very good time manager and I was for a very long time noticed and I see with people around me is if you feel not so well or miserable or exhausted and tired, you can have all the time in the world, but you can't use it the way you would love to use it. And for that reason I kind of pivoted I like your word pivoted from time management to energy management, because I think my most valuable resource is definitely not my time, it's my energy, because time we all have these 24 hours it's limited, whereas if you know how to recharge and to work or to manage your energy, your energy is unlimited, meaning in a way, you can do, achieve or whatever, or even enjoy much more in the same 24 hours. And that's why I think this time management is kind of old school for me and the future to really kind of have a more relaxed and also more enjoyable life is definitely managing your energy, that you are aware what is draining my energy, what is giving me energy, and that you even know that if you're low on energy, that you recharge and then you're ready for your next task. So in a way, it's all about managing your own energy and live your life in a completely different way.

Speaker 1:

It sounds to me like even before we can talk about energy management, we need to have some level of self-awareness, because you refer to knowing what are the things that energize us and what are the things that drain us. And not everybody, I imagine, would have actually stopped to think about it consciously and ask themselves what are the things that really bring me joy or make me feel alive and what are the things that make me feel overwhelmed. It's almost like we go about our day in a very autopilot way. We do the same thing every day, we repeat the same routines and we don't really stop to think is this actually helping me or is this draining me? So how does one go about becoming more aware?

Speaker 2:

that's a very good question and I think it's with most things uh, you can only change things when you're aware of it. You know it, regardless what it is. Uh, it's more about that. You figure out. Oh, there is something in my life and I don't want it this way anymore and that's why I want to change it. And I think this is the first step, in a way, and then I'm completely with you.

Speaker 2:

It's like this awareness and, uh, I see that many people don't know what is giving them, uh, what, or who is giving them energy or who drains it. And this can be tasked right at work, like, uh, boring meetings or repetitive things, or just doing the chores or cleaning the bathroom, whatever. Most of the time, we do things but we don't reflect on it. Does this, you know? Do I really enjoy it? Of course, you know, I think there are only a few people who enjoy cleaning the bathroom. I really don't like it. But if I am aware of it, you know, I, I know, okay, I have to do this right now, but then I can do something afterwards that really gives me joy and and recharges my energy. So it's kind of a compensation if I am aware and what I think is even the uh. It's not only tasks but it can also be person, and we all know these energy vampires right. Sometimes we are on the phone with a person or we meet. This can be a family member or can even be a friend, or can be a not so well-known person. You just talk with them on the phone or whatever, and then you kind of feel completely drained afterwards because they kind of suck off all your uh and just noticing this. You know, of course we can't avoid certain person when they're in our life, but in a way you can kind of when you're aware that there are tools to kind of set energetic boundaries or protection your energy, that people can't access your energy in and that uh in this way anymore. And on the other side, I think it's also very important then to maybe have less contact with this person or only when you really kind of know you can handle it and you're you have a lot of energy uh in this moment and that when you're really down or whatever, and then you call this person that it's even worse. And so I think this is very important, that you are aware and most people don't even know what they need to do to recharge, right To go either in and this can be individual for anybody like dancing at home for five minutes, or have a half an hour walk outside.

Speaker 2:

For me it's like painting or swimming. It's just good to find out where you can, things you can do forever and you're kind of in a completely different world. This is the ideal way, but of course you can't always do that when you need energy. There are shortcuts like um, you know, there's this quantum uh science and quantum field all around us. There's unlimited energy there. What I'm teaching is also how you can access this quantum field and this energy there. So in a way, it's like you plug in your phone and similar here. I plug in my body or my system and recharge for three minutes and then I can go into the next meeting and my exercises that I'm showing also in my book, um is they are no longer than three minutes, so you can go like to the restroom and then do this exercise there, and I know from my colleagues at work they still think, always wondering what's she doing in this restroom? You know she really goes in there and then she comes out all sparkling full of energy and let's rock the next meeting.

Speaker 1:

So there are different tools and ways fantastic, and all these can be found in your book. Change your energy, change your life. Is that right?

Speaker 2:

yes, correct, yeah there are 44 really short energy exercises on to recharge your energy, to set boundaries, how you find out, even like, what kind of food you should eat because food, of course, is also energy, it's very comprehensive or which decisions are good for you in the long run. Or, if you have like to be very creative, you can do a heart brain coherence to really make your brain and your heart and your whole body run optimal so you have optimal results. There are so many exercises in there, you pick your favorite ones and if there are only three, if they do them like for three weeks every day, yeah, and we all have this kind of 10 minutes it would literally change your life beautiful, so we'll make sure to include the link to your book in the show notes so that people can check out the book.

Speaker 1:

Now I noticed another quotation of yours in your LinkedIn profile, and that is you said that success doesn't happen when you push harder. It happens when your energy is aligned. Now, to those of us who don't understand what that means, can you explain? What does it mean about energy being aligned or not aligned?

Speaker 2:

The thing is that I don't know about you or your audience and listeners, but I was brought up in a very result-oriented environment and there was a lot of appreciation when you have good grades and finished big projects. And it's still this kind of education, money, status, world. And here, in a way, I think sometimes we really just push through, or even you know I'm, I like to get many things done, but what I've noticed is sometimes I'm on the computer and there's only you know and I. I know that no, I'm not on my at my best anymore. So it would be actually the wisest decision would be to step back, do my exercise or even drink something or take like five, 10 minutes for myself and then come back and finish it off. But most of the time we are so determined let's finish that off right, and then you kind of pushing through just to get the whole thing done and out of your to-do list. And that's what I noticed. I don't want to push myself anymore. And it's also about being gentle to yourself and also noticing in a way, now your body or even your brain needs a short break and even if I take this break most of the time, I even finish faster, with a better result afterwards, because you're more concentrated and you're more enjoying what you're doing. You're not just pushing through.

Speaker 2:

So this is kind of in the daily work, to step back and really noticing no, I don't want to push myself here now I step back and then I come back and I know your mind will already scream and say, no, we just need to finish this off. But it's worth a try. And then you see the result and in the long run. What I mean is sometimes you start something and kind of maybe in the middle or at the end, or you're starting even something that is not aligned, which is actually good for you because it sounds nice and I'm a scanner type, right, you know there are so many cool things and projects and people out there and I would be all over the place because I want to be part of it, I want to contribute.

Speaker 2:

But what I've learned is, yes, I can do that, but I'm so much more at my best when I select what actually aligns with my skills, with my energy, and evencheck with many things that are coming to me.

Speaker 2:

Does this bring me any closer to my vision in the long run or not? And this is very hard for me, but I think this is where I can contribute the most and really get every day a little bit closer to my vision, and because otherwise you're just so scattered and you're doing so many things and most of them they're nice to do and they give you, like, in the short term, some appreciation or even some financial results, but in the long term they're not good for me. And this is also I'm a process I'm on. I'm also teaching my clients to figure out you know, where do you want to be in six months or in a year or in five years, and then that they learn to really be honest to themselves, to cross-check does this bring me closer to my goal or not? And this is kind of aligning what I'm doing with my energy.

Speaker 1:

I like how you have a short-term perspective as well as a longer-term perspective, because I think, especially with introverts, with highly sensitive people, the energy aspect is also about sustainability. And so when you add in the alignment piece, that comes from a place of self-awareness where I know what I'm here to do, I know what is my life work, and therefore I want to prioritize certain things over other things and I want to make sure my energy goes to the right things and the right people and the right causes. So I like how holistic and realistic at the same time. That is Because we need to know.

Speaker 1:

First of all, we need to know ourselves best. In fact, we are the only ones who can know ourselves best and know whether this work is right for me in this season, with my current state of health, my current mental state, my health, my hormones, my energy, my sleep, everything. And then, is it feasible, is it realistic to want to achieve all these things, and how do I make sure that in doing all these things, they are also contributing to the bigger picture, that long-term goal you're talking about, the vision that you help your clients to become clear on, and I think we often are so busy with the daily routine and the rushing around and all the to-dos, which are the micro level of achievement, and we forget what am I doing this for? What is the purpose of all this running around and rushing and not having enough rest and not eating well, and we think we're doing a great job because on the surface it looks like we're doing a lot, but then, when you examine it more closely, it's at what cost and how is it adding to my life?

Speaker 2:

That's so powerful. Yeah, that's to the point right.

Speaker 1:

So let's talk about you. Know, when you mentioned energetic boundaries, I'm thinking of highly sensitive persons and I'm thinking of people pleasers, because there's quite a bit of overlap between them and introverts and quiet achievers. They would have difficulty setting those energetic boundaries. So what advice do you have for people who are learning to assert themselves more strongly?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, there's a very powerful exercise in the book as well, and it's called this setting energetic boundaries. Because I think I'm not an extrovert but I'm not an introvert either. I'm kind of a I can't both. You can do both, right. But what I really was and I'm still am a little bit is is this people pleasing? Because, yeah, the way I was brought up, right, it was really kind of to make my parents happy that they're proud of of me and that I get some more attention from them, because they were really busy entrepreneurs, they were running their own business and there was so many things always coming up and uh, uh, and I tried to do to do my best to really make them happy as as well, and they're really cool people, but they were just so sucked up with their daily life and that's why one of these reasons is, for me, it's very hard to say no, and I think for many women they're in a similar situation, right? Because then, most of the time, you have to explain. Sometimes you even think, ah, then the person doesn't like me anymore, or, and we all don't want that, right, we want to be liked and um, that's intrinsic in us. So that's when I just developed this, uh, this very powerful exercise and my clients really love it and you can best you do it in the in the morning is in a way that you claim your space and what I said at the beginning, like we're kind of a walking battery and if we we think of our phone or battery, going back to the physics class, right there, if there is current flowing, then you have this electromagnetic field around any electric device. And so if we I haven't seen this electromagnetic field, I have to admit, even if I'm an electric engineer and I haven't met anybody who really can see this field, but we all believe that it exists because we were told so in physics class. So if we do believe that we have these electromagnetic fields, around electromagnetic fields and we also are a walking battery, why is it so difficult to understand that we have this electromagnetic field around us as well? And people, if they're trained or not, we can't feel this field. It's just there.

Speaker 2:

And especially introverts, you know, when you're observing you can feel like and Patrulla also noticed when you know there are people in a room at a party and then somebody enters the room and everybody turns around, even if it was not announced, because this person has such a strong energy body, people can just feel it and we want to know who is this. And that's why I think we have this energetic field around us and, if we manage it, we can expand it to make it even bigger, to make it stronger. Charismatic people have a very strong and powerful energy body that is very large Because people can already feel it. Wow, there is energy, there is power, and you can even be an introvert and have like this strong energy body because your energy speaks for you. But what I wanted to say is we also spoke about it If you have a very strong energy and you have your energy around it, there are always people and out there kind of trying to get either your energy, um, and then, if you set these boundaries, you will feel the people start noticing you more because you claim your own space.

Speaker 2:

It's just saying like this is my space, right, and people you're limiting and saying this belongs to me, not to you.

Speaker 2:

And people, when they're approaching you, they will feel there's a little buffer in between.

Speaker 2:

They will notice, if they want or not, and what I've noticed by setting these energetic boundaries, that more and more people they will feel that this buffer or even this obstacle around you, and it will keep them from even asking, because you are kind of protected. And so what I noticed when I set up this energetic boundaries, people asked me less to do them a favor, and so I didn't even have to say no, because if nobody asks, you don't have to say no, and it made my life so much easier and it's not that I'm not going to be there for other people, but it's just you know there needs to be. I want to decide, in a way, if I want to do it or not, and I figured out many things I deep from my heart I wouldn't have done anyway, but I couldn't bother to say no, so that's why I ended up doing so many things I didn't even really want to, and that's why I think this exercise is so important for people pleaser, or people for them. It's very difficult to say no because you don't have.

Speaker 1:

You use your energy as kind of a buffer that is a very handy strategy to have, a handy skill to have. What is the simplest way you can help someone to set that kind of buffer? If they, let's say, tomorrow they're going to be having a difficult conversation, or they're going to be having a difficult conversation, or they're going to be walking into a room that maybe has got someone who's hostile to them, how would they set about set that buffer for themselves? Is there something they can say to themselves, like an affirmation, or do they just think about it, just imagine it, and that's enough.

Speaker 2:

It's in more details described in the book, but in general you can just kind of spread your arms right and then you said I am setting my today, I'm setting my space here, and you do it all around your body and say this is my space, this is my energy. And you claim it and uh and. At the beginning it might feel weird or something, but most people say they feel more protected and more confident because they have now marked their space. And uh and, and then in a way, you will even notice when, when you really claim the full space At the beginning maybe it's not perfect, but it's already a good buffer and then you will get better and better, and then you can even, you know, make the buffer smaller when you, maybe when you're with your family or if you have like a very difficult meeting, then you can make this buffer really very broad, like an arm's length on both sides, and say this is my space and it's really about. This is me. It's outside of my body, but it still belongs to me and I claim it.

Speaker 2:

And it's so interesting because one of my clients, she had like this experience that she was very often when she was in a mall or at just um in a busy street, people were kind of bumping into her so as if they didn't notice her. Uh, early enough, so they didn't step aside, and uh, and then she started doing this exercise and like the next morning or the no, it was not the next morning, but the no, it was not the next morning, but the day afterwards she called me and said it's such a difference, people kind of notice her energy and they walk by.

Speaker 1:

That is exciting. I'm going to practice that and see, and I'll let you know what my results are. Sure.

Speaker 2:

It would be amazing to get your feedback and your experiences on this.

Speaker 1:

So, cornelia, what is the best way for listeners to connect with you and find out more about your work?

Speaker 2:

Oh, the easiest way is definitely, of course, on all social medias it's Cornelia underscore energy on, or on my webpage, it's CorneliaCarvancom, and there you can even. Either it's um, cornelia carvancom, and there you can um, even, either, you know, if you want to check out how my, how I work with um, or how you can expand your energy, or work on your energy, um, you can have a complimentary half an hour personal energy strategy session, or, um, yeah, you can download my free ebook about new energetic stress management, so doing stress management in a different way. So, yeah, I'm really, you know, looking forward to to get to know people who are interested, to want to learn how to manage their, their energy, because I think it's so powerful I think it's so powerful as well.

Speaker 1:

Like you said, it's much more important than time management. It is the future, because all of us have finite reserves of energy and we want to know how to replenish, and we want to know how to manage and use the energy wisely for the right purposes. So what you are teaching is enormously valuable. So thank you so much for sharing your time and your energy with us today.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much for having me, Serena, and for holding this space, and so yeah, for your audience and also for your guest speakers, I really appreciate it and thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 1:

So we're going to make sure we have all your links in the show notes so that people can check you out. So if you've enjoyed today's episode, be sure to leave a five-star rating and review. To help the quiet warrior podcast reach more introverts and quiet achievers around the world, and I've also put together a free resource for you, called the introvert toolkit, full of valuable tips for introverts and leaders working with introverts, as well as parents of introverted children. The link to download is in the show notes as well, so make sure you look out for it. See you on the next episode. I'm so grateful that you're here today. If you found this content valuable, please share it on your social media channels and subscribe to the show on your favorite listening platform. Together, we can help more introverts thrive. Thank you.