Why Being Enthusiastic Matters
- April 28, 2016
- by Melissa Lawrence
Hello everyone. Welcome back to my Reflection Thursdays post in which I am reflecting on happiness, wellness, peace of mind and being your best self. I hope you like this series and please come back for more!
For the past week, my yoga teacher Jackie has been focusing on enthusiasm. Infuse your day with enthusiasm, she has beckoned out to our class. Approach each moment with enthusiasm, the small moments as much as the larger ones. Life is comprised of the smaller moments and when you soak these up, appreciating them and making the most out of them, happiness ensues. What does enthusiasm mean? A word of Greek origin, Jackie explained, enthusiasm means intense enjoyment or interest…
The notion of enthusiasm got my mommy mind churning this morning and I’ve been thinking about what it means to be enthusiastic and how to be enthusiastic for most of my hectic day!
Awaking this morning, I was not feeling enthusiastic. I spent most of last night battling a terrible stomach ache. Unable to find his headphones for the gym, my husband banged his nightstand table drawer open and woke me up at 5:30 (an hour before my wake up time!). Last night, one of my kids complained that he’s not included in something, and another that I haven’t taken any field trips with her class this year. Another had done a mediocre job on his homework. You can thus picture my mindset at the onset of this day. I was feeling like I wasn’t a good enough mom, that I don’t do enough as a mom … and I had a terrible tummy ache!
How to Motivate Yourself
Inspired by Jackie, I left my class, showered, and trotted off to order my favorite coffee with extra cream at my little place on my street. Sipping my favorite drink of the day, I decided to commit to bringing enthusiasm back into my day. At a doctor’s appointment, I told the nurse how grateful I was that she had helped me. I told the receptionist to have a nice day. When I arrived home, I took Marielle into my arms and went to play with her. Oftentimes, I tell her I have to work or I that have to organize something, feeling the pressure of the family duties crashing down on me. Today, I left that at bay and went to play dolls. One of the simplest ways to stay enthusiastic in life is to do what matters to you and what you love. Being with your kids ranks highly for all of us parents. Look at it this way: who is going to feel enthusiastic about doing things you don’t like?
I promise you there is one single thing I will remember about today: that time with Marielle. There was nothing routine or ordinary or boring about it. Rather, that time was dose of magical moments with a beautiful 5 year old who won’t stay that way for long. Giving her a hug, I felt her little strong body and thanked God that I have her. It’s hard not to feel enthusiastic about spending time with a beautiful, fun young girl.
Enthusiasm.
We all can easily sink into negativity. People disappoint us, let us down. Things happen that aren’t welcome. Kids struggle. Your computer won’t light up. Then, your kitchen disposal breaks and clogs up your sink with muck (this week we’ve been washing dishes in the bathroom sink). With these little annoyances, we have a choice: let them irritate us or laugh them off, remaining enthusiastic about all the larger, beautiful things that are happening in our lives.
Look beyond the bad and find the good. Be kind. Be positive. Spend your day saying kind words to others and asking them questions about their lives. That’s enthusiasm. Make your day amazing by being your best self. Imagine yourself as a strong swimmer standing next to a gorgeous pool and PLUNGE in, doing everything you need to do and trying to keep a smile on your face. Your day will be the better for it. Do some yoga, if you have time. If you don’t, go out and walk fast for 20 minutes. Do anything you can to breathe and let your spirits soar.
If any of you all have thoughts to share on how to be happy and enthusiastic every day, please comment below.
Thanks so much for reading.
Love,
Melissa
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