How often Do You Experience Enthusiasm?

 In Better Life

If your email inbox is like mine, it’s stuffed with great advice about New Year’s resolutions. So I want to take a different approach. Instead of a resolution, I want to set an area of focus for this year. I want to spend more time following my enthusiasm and to encourage those around me to do the same.

The word “enthusiasm” comes from the Greek word “entheos” which means “the God within.” Depending on your belief system, this could mean God, the Divine, Source, Nature, or whatever resonates with you. To me, it means that when I’m feeling enthusiasm, I’m connected to my greater purpose, of why I’m on this earth.

How often do we ignore this feeling or maybe even feel guilty for having it? How often do we find ourselves in situations, projects, even jobs that create little or no enthusiasm for us?

My daughter has been filling out college applications, and a common essay question they ask is “What energizes you? What are your passions, obsessions, quirks, or inspirations?” It’s been fun to brainstorm with her and explore her interests. I think of how fully answering this requires deep self-awareness. And the quality of our life and our happiness is greatly impacted by knowing the answer so we can make sure we’re experiencing abundant amounts of enthusiasm in our life. It’s not just a question for colleges.

Here are some questions to help you reflect on what enthuses you.

  • What do you look forward to?
  • What tabs are commonly open in your computer’s browser?
  • What newsletters/emails/articles do you read first?
  • What topics/activities make you lose track of time?
  • What gets you the most excited, angry, or emotional?

In 2023, I want to pay more attention to these questions, and as I identify those areas, I want to spend more time including them in my day. This also means excluding and saying “no” to those things that drain my enthusiasm. I also want to encourage and support my husband, daughter, friends, family, and YOU to do the same. I believe the world would be a better, happier place if we could all enjoy more enthusiasm!!

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