Enthusiasm: a Spark of Life!

I hope you are well and happy. I found a new biscotti with dark chocolate that has changed the quality of my afternoon coffee break. It has taken it to another level — no matter where I am, it feels like being at an outdoor café with all the time in the world to enjoy it.

In the spirit of all that is good, I have been thinking about enthusiasm. It isn’t something that we are acutely aware of as adults, but I think it is key to almost everything. It is like the spark of Life!

I have been running around working on a variety of projects. Though physically tired at the end of the day, I feel full of energy, new ideas keep popping up, and I jump out of bed at first sunlight. It is very different from a particular project that I find stressful. I try to get it done efficiently, as quickly as possible, and with minimal emotion over it because the only one I can muster up is negative.

I am no expert on enthusiasm. As a matter of fact, the last time I felt enthusiasm was about eight years ago. I would get excited over an event and had an overall good attitude, but I completely forgot how enthusiasm for Life felt.

Enthusiasm is beyond having a good attitude. There is an energy about it that infuses you. Every morning and throughout the day, I’m feeling engaged and activated, curious to experience what’s next. Now, how cool is that? And why have I been missing out?

I somehow plugged into what gives me energy and vitality. It is like getting onto a trolley car that converts itself into an express train.

Enthusiasm, for me, is an infused energy of engagement that you find yourself so deeply into that it does not matter how you look or how badly it’s coming out right now. It is the mad scientist’s energy. You know that you are figuring this out (whatever this may be). Setbacks throw you in deeper to try understanding and working it out. It fuels your energy rather than depletes it. Frustrations arise. There may be moments of embarrassment and certainly discomfort. Still, it is taken lightly or even dismissed just by the sheer energy of enthusiasm. The experience is worth it and is making you better at whatever you are attempting. You are also building your confidence — for however short a period it lasts. As soon as I celebrate a victory, something else has to be learned and mastered.

As children, we loved to master anything — tying our shoes, climbing the monkey bars- enthusiasm brings that love of mastery back. This has such colossal value on so many levels for each one of us. Enthusiasm is an expression of our creativity, our development, our living, our moving forward. It is one of those instances when we are most ourselves.

Another remarkable characteristic of enthusiasm is that it is contagious.

We can be an example through our actions that learning can happen, and there are opportunities for fun. By showing others how to give themselves a chance to do something desired in such a way that succeeding or not, it is clearly worth the try.

We have all said- follow your passion. But I’ve been thinking, passion requires energy and courage, and for the most part, we are tired and scared. But enthusiasm is buildable. Enthusiasm energizes you, then momentum pitches in to help and moves you further. And off you go to the unknown full of curiosity and doors magically open to provide information, tools, and helpful people. I think the Universe loves an enthusiastic fool.

Enthusiasm gives us the power to do so much of value.

With enthusiasm, you will soon enough find yourself in a passionate state. There is a reconnection to your truth. Of who you are and what you love. Bringing integrity back to your life that really is sacred to living. Hence the sense of fulfillment even if nothing has worked out yet and you are not sure if it ever will. But you are living fully in the moment, savoring the energy of Life.

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