Enthusiasm Counts
There are several fun emotions that don’t get used every day. Enthusiasm is one of them. That’s too bad, because it is a very fun feeling. But maybe the uniqueness of enthusiasm is due to its relatively specialized use. We tend to yearn for what we don’t have because it is so easy to take what we have for granted. It is so difficult to be a good human and follow all these rules. But enthusiasm is fun to see when it appears and seems like a party of an emotion. It definitely adds to the excitement of the moment and contains enough motivational spirit to make things happen. Even in little spurts, like a new pair of shoes, we get a kick out of the untapped experience that enthusiasm provides.
Enthusiasm for Sale
Cheerleaders are good at conjuring excitement through their uplifting chants and dynamic acrobatics. They are fun to watch, and it seems a little weird when someone doesn’t join in with them to show support. If it were that easy to motivate employees, companies would hire cheer squads to ramp up the zeal for their work tasks. Commercials use all types of methods to entice us to purchase their products. Enthusiasm can be shared in cheeky messages, catchy tunes or through heart-touching moments. Humans use their emotions all over the place. Imagine how hard it would be to go to the supermarket and shop if we weren’t told what absolutely fabulous items were necessary to purchase. Could you pick out your own brand of beer without knowing what kind of enjoyment it was supposed to supply?
Half Enthusiastic
The main trouble with enthusiasm is that it fades. I have been to conferences where I have felt absolutely transformed by the message of the speakers. Their passion was contagious, and I grabbed some of that enthusiasm to take home. Action is required as soon as possible to maintain this level of enthusiasm because the half-life timer on enthusiasm starts to affect it as soon as it starts. Its magic power start to fade a little. It is like having to make your steaming cup of java stay piping hot from the breakroom to your desk. If you like your drinks screaming hot, you would have needed to drink it as soon as it was made. There is a little drip of disappointment mixed into every sip after that critical juncture. But I have realized that knowing that enthusiasm fades can actually help. The anticipation of having less intensity can help bring a transformation into the place where the subject is easier to use. It is possible to normalize enthusiasm.
Enthusiastically Keen
It is exciting to have parts of life that allow for enthusiasm. It is even better when it doesn’t take a crowd. For that feeling, we can look to our passions. Even minor passions create a little eagerness that is a mark above the casual level. Everything doesn’t have to be like climbing Mount Everest. Some missions in life can involve moments that get more repetition. Consider what it would take to become a better bike rider and you will improve and have more enthusiasm for it. Learn a few dance steps off of social media and make yourself a minor performer. Take a cookbook and make one new recipe a month to become a better cook. Enthusiasm can be an everyday activity in a smaller dimension. The best part is that the half-life isn’t so big. By the time you have put aside the occasion to try out that new activity, the little loss of fervor won’t be enough to keep you from doing it again. There is more to gain than to lose.
Are you enthusiastic about anything right this moment? What little activity can you try to build more interest in? Can you build passion in your relationships by trying something new?
