Always having little energy can create a demoralizing atmosphere at home, in the workplace and in our heads. Not only do people like enthusiastic people, this way of being makes us feel better too, because we are full of passion, inspiration and goals. What is the key to being thrilled by the little things? Let's find out!
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Having the Right Mindset
Step 1. Find yourself
It's pretty hard to get excited about your life when you're living someone else's. Not being yourself is just exhausting, no wonder you can't get the excitement out of all your pores. To tune into your real life, you must first and foremost be yourself. Pretending to be something you are not sucks up all of your resources, which could be used to devote yourself to what you really enjoy and that thrills you.
Many of us find it particularly difficult to adjust to a stencil that society has labeled the "right" one. We will not necessarily like the things our friends like, nor will we derive satisfaction from the things that satisfy others. So don't waste time! It is only when you are naturally yourself that you can find out what makes you feel good and truly control your life. Then you can start working on being enthusiastic
Step 2. Try to understand why you lack enthusiasm
You clicked on this page for a reason. Probably, someone you know is complaining about your lack of energy. Very few people examine themselves objectively and say "Mhh, I wonder why he's not more lively". But, whatever your reason, you have a suspicion well enough to ask. Is that your job? Your love life? Or is this something universal and 24/7 that is disheartening you?
It is natural to come to a standstill. These things happen and even end, at some point. But then there is clinical depression, and that's a different kettle of fish. If it's something you've never thought about, do it now. Is it the lack of enthusiasm that makes you feel bad or is it a bigger problem? What does your instinct tell you?
Step 3. Start thinking positively
If someone gave you a math test and said, “Here's the exam. It's full of topics you never thought you'd touch on even in college. Good luck”, how would you feel? Probably quite intimidated. If, on the other hand, they told you “Here is the exam. It will be difficult, but it is doable”, what would you think then? You would be much more motivated and would feel much better about dealing with it. The same goes for enthusiasm - you'll feel thrilled about something even if it's terrible!
Think about it. How easy is it to be thrilled about something doable that you know you are capable of achieving? It is much harder to be enthusiastic than things we consider impossible to realize. And where does the difference often lie? In our way of thinking. Sometimes, this is the only obstacle
Step 4. Define your goals and how you will achieve them
Now that you're at least trying to think positively, what are your goals? How would you go about reaching them? What do you want to be excited about? It's hard to be when you live floundering, aimlessly.
Knowing exactly what you want to do and exactly how you want to do it gives you something to be thrilled about. If you want to lose weight, it's hard to get excited about it. But if you work out for 30 minutes a day and eat lots of vegetables, this is a concrete behavior to be enthusiastic about
Step 5. Convince yourself
It's great to have milestones, but you'll actually have to believe you can beat them. If your goal is too high, lower it a bit. Do this until you are ready to believe it is something you can make happen. If it's realistic, the only thing stopping you is you.
Having the goal of becoming the King or Queen of England is unlikely to thrill you, as it is impossible to achieve. Make sure what you want is doable; if in doubt, lower expectations slightly. Do you want to start your own business but don't even know where to start? Make a commitment to take an Economics course and network. The smallest things are absolutely doable and absolutely useful
Step 6. Overcome your fear of disappointment, of making the wrong decision, of looking silly
Often, when we are not enthusiastic, this happens because we have made up an excuse as to why not to be. We don't want to be excited because we don't want to give up our hopes, we're not excited because we're too insecure to be, and we're not excited because it worries us how we will be judged by others. These are all unfounded reasons! Your enthusiasm should be unyielding and not affected by others or your insecurities. What can stop you?
Understand that your desire to be enthusiastic is there, buried under a pile of worries and fears. As we grow up, adults often call them "reasons". This is absolutely well known. We had the enthusiasm as children, it's time to recover it
Part 2 of 4: Finding a Motivation
Step 1. Find out what you really like to do and always dedicate yourself to it
There is no point in living unhappy. Doing useless work, drinking on weekends, surrounding yourself with meaningless relationships: all this can be disheartening, and not a little. No wonder getting excited becomes a struggle when you spend eight hours a day behind a screen, eat poorly, and complain about current circumstances. In the way that suits you best, find something that you find interesting and cultivate your passion. Dedicate yourself as often as possible. Give your life that spark it needs to ignite the excitement.
It doesn't matter what it is. Whether it's building model airplanes, cooking, karate or singing karaoke in German, do it. Make time for yourself. Rearrange your agenda. Sacrifice other obligations. Make it part of your routine. If it gives you a push and ignites a fire inside you, hold on to it, until you hold a tight grip. The enthusiasm will flow from this point on
Step 2. Surround yourself with good company
Have you ever been in a room full of pessimists taken up by criticizing the government, current trends, all your colleagues and acquaintances? This is annoying and it is very contagious. Before you know it, you too will hate everything and everyone. Do not do it! These people take what little enthusiasm you have and pulverize it. If you want to work on your positivity and enthusiasm, these people have to play a much smaller role in your life.
The first step is to close your toxic friendships. If you take five minutes to think about it, you'll probably get a good idea of what that means. Once the negativity is cleared, think of three people who make you feel really good. When you have free time, these are the people you should hang out with. They can also be examples of enthusiasm to be inspired by
Step 3. Get back in shape
Have you ever heard that if you eat junk food you feel down all day? Well, that's right. And it's much harder to feel mentally overwhelmed if you're not physically fit. Ergo, eat well! Your enthusiasm deserves it, right?
- Here's another example: Have you ever been in bed all day wondering why you were so exhausted? And then you realized the reason was that you hadn't done anything all day. Getting up and exercising will fill you with energy. So start moving! The endorphin rush will be the first step to feel the flow of inspiration in your life.
- Sleep well! It is difficult to be enthusiastic when you are tired. Indeed, when we are destroyed, we find ourselves the opposite of enthusiasm. If you haven't been getting adequate sleep lately, this could be the cause of your lack of energy. So, have a rest!
Step 4. Make a list of the things you are grateful for
Seeing a concrete list of everything you have will make it hard to deny the reasons to be enthusiastic.
Don't throw in the towel after five minutes. Sometimes it's hard to think about the things we are grateful for because we have them. We practically always have them, so we tend to underestimate their importance. Your legs. Do you know them? They're fantastic. Aren't you happy to have them?
Step 5. Behave enthusiastically
You know what they say: "perfection comes with practice". Well, that's not always true, but practice creates habit. Behave enthusiastically for enough time and, eventually, this may become a fixed emotion for you. It will take some time, but it is definitely doable. So, put on an enthusiastic expression inside and out and start pretending!
Of course, it will be awful at first. You will feel fake. Smile, laugh and say things like "Oh, that's great!" they will make you uncomfortable if you are not used to it. If nothing else, he begins to say them sardonically. Be cheerful to hit the non-cheerful part of your personality. Find an excuse to pretend until all of this comes naturally to you
Part 3 of 4: Projecting Enthusiasm
Step 1. Exclaim
Maybe you're just not in the mood to put in too much effort. But you know that practice can get you into different habits, so how can you pretend in the beginning? Start by exclaiming. Whether it's "How beautiful!", "It's wonderful!" or "Well, let me sit down and call me Sally!" it depends on you. The more lively you react, the more people will be "fooled".
Imagine your friend Marco walking into your room. You look at each other, you nod and you say "Hey". Without even an exclamation. Just "Hey". He responds with "Hey". You said goodbye. Now, imagine Marco walking into your room and visualizing yourself saying “HEY, MARCO! OMG GOD I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU! ", then run to hug him, waving like the T-Rex you've always dreamed of being. This is to be enthusiastic
Step 2. Get moving
An integral part of the “EHI, MARCO! OMG GOD I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU! it was a little waving. You can't sit in the chair without moving your facial muscles, glued to the TV screen while watching the Discovery Channel and saying those words - they won't have the same effect (try it and see). So the next time you find yourself thinking “It would be appropriate to show some enthusiasm now,” do something about it. Jump. Wave your arms like crazy (don't do this in public). High five with Grandma (especially if she wants you more energetic). Make a choice and work to honor it.
You could do a dance of happiness. You could move your fingers like Fonzie. You could point your thumbs at you and talk about your grandeur. Why not try all these possibilities and observe the reactions you get from them?
Step 3. Be theatrical
When you think "Enthusiasm … Enthusiasm", try replacing these words with "blatant". How can you magnify everything you do? Try to remember this: you are not a character in a movie. You are not being filmed by a video camera. You are on a stage where you have to demonstrate to the 1500 people on the fourth balcony, that it is more or less 800 meters from you, how you feel, what you think and what you are doing. How could you make your gestures more blatant?
The next time your roommate walks into your room and says “Hey, I just baked some cupcakes!”, Don't respond with “Oh, great, thanks. I love cupcakes”. No, no, no. You'll punch in the air John Bender style of the Breakfast Club, kneel and exclaim “My cupcake queen, how can I repay her?”, Then run to the kitchen and start eating one with gusto. This means being theatrical. Give it a go
Step 4. Use your face
All of this advice will be useless and you won't get the reactions you are hoping for if your face isn't in tune with your words, tone or body. When Marco enters your room, smile. Even with the eyes. When your roommate informs you that she has baked the cupcakes, gasp for a second before expressing your gratitude in words. Whenever you want to fake an emotion (by the way, you can also be enthusiastically negative), make sure you think about everything.
You know exactly how it's done. You've certainly observed others before and the facial expressions that accompany their distinct emotions. The only thing you need to change is their scope, you need to make them bigger, making sure others notice. You will need to make sure your enthusiasm is felt and seen
Step 5. Turn up the volume
Let's dedicate ourselves to the part of "being heard". It is not always said that a higher volume can be equated with enthusiasm, only that silence in general is a sign of lack of enthusiasm. So when you tell Marco you're happy to see him, don't whisper it. When you are overjoyed for cupcakes, say it to your heart's content. You don't have to scream, but your enthusiasm should be unrestricted. Consider what the normal volume is for you and turn it up a bit.
Think about what an average teenager does when she sees Robert Pattinson or Justin Bieber. He screams and starts jumping. Don't do exactly what she would do, but inspire a little bit of that reaction. When the excitement needs to be displayed, tune into your inner Team Edward (but feel free to "scream calmly"). If nothing else, do it satirically. Only you need to know that you "throw up" enthusiasm towards the people around you. On the other hand, what they demand is to simply see you more thrilled
Part 4 of 4: Keeping You Enthusiastic
Step 1. Ask questions
An easy way to sound enthusiastic is to ask questions. Show that you are interested and in the moment. And then what happens when you ask questions? People respond to you and may say something that really piques your interest, in case it didn't happen before. So do the first I can! Ask questions, join the conversation, and see if you can reap the rewards.
It's easy to dismiss a topic, things and people as uninteresting, to judge a book by its cover. Hold on! If you are tempted, try to be a little "nosy". You may find that lifting the veil ignites your curiosity. And that curiosity may lead you to discover something worth being excited about
Step 2. Laugh
One of the easiest ways to be happy is to start laughing. Start laughing and being happy and the excitement will follow. This can naturally get you into a better mood and let your creativity and positivity flow.
Step 3. Be amazed
After a certain amount of time in an environment, the novelty goes away. Stop noticing what once made you forget everything with its beauty. Stop asking questions and getting surprised. Stop feeling struck by amazement. When it happens, the enthusiasm slips away like grains of sand between your fingers. Suddenly, life becomes dull and ordinary. Don't let that happen.
Simple things, like the beauty of a sunset, can make you regain your enthusiasm. The architecture of the building you prefer in your city. Even a group of children struggling with a snowman. When you stop and enjoy the little things, you might take a break and find out what will keep you going, what can be absolutely inspiring
Step 4. Try new things
An easy way to start feeling amazed again is to experiment with new things. Life can get boring if you always do the same activities, change a little! It is impossible to maintain enthusiasm for what you have been doing for years. And it's ridiculous to expect to feel thrilled if your routine isn't capable of arousing this feeling in you!
Even the smallest of changes can work wonders. Have you run five kilometers a day for the past six months? Find a new route! Start cooking at home. Pick a new hobby. Go shopping at thrift stores. Explore the tourist attractions in your area. They don't have to be big, just different
Step 5. Keep learning
Imagine a relationship with someone you've known all along. It probably starts to get a little boring when you stop discovering new things about him, when you know everything there is to know. The same goes for life! If you stop learning, you will find yourself with no reason to get inspired. Do more accurate research, contact the experts, broaden your circle of knowledge. Whatever you want to do, dig all the way.
