The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm.
– Aldous Huxley
What are you excited about right now? Are you excited about who you are and what you’re up to in life?
I went to another drop-in improv class this week. The instructor has great energy. As he was directing us in a new activity, he asked if we were ready. Apparently, our response left something to be desired. He told us, ‘Be enthusiastic about yourselves or no one else will be.’ I thought to myself, that is such a gem of knowledge.
How often do we lose our enthusiasm for ourselves? Maybe we are working on a fitness goal and we start to lose sight of why. Or we are practicing a new skill or activity and we feel completely uncoordinated. It is easy to get frustrated, which takes us to a place of limitation. It makes me think of a toddler learning to walk. What if he got frustrated and gave up? It never crosses his mind. The possibility of walking is intriguing and exciting. He can fall one thousand times and he doesn’t lose an ounce of enthusiasm. No one tells him that it’s pointless and that he should give up. Everyone is encouraging him, cajoling him along. He tries different ways of pulling himself up. He gets support from walls, railings, and the helping hands of his parents. Failure is not an option.
How can we bring more of that kind of enthusiasm into our own lives? Can we bring creativity instead of criticism to our journey when the going gets tough? Can we reach out for support? Can we be more encouraging to ourselves? That’s more half the battle.
What can you do to reignite your enthusiasm? Can you celebrate a small win? Can you take a moment to see how far you’ve come and how much you’ve grown? Enthusiasm is contagious. Be enthusiastic about yourself and infect others with that positive energy while you’re at it!
Wishing you a weekend chock full of fun, laughter, and enthusiasm,
Kori