I set up The Enthusiast to encourage everyone to be more enthusiastic, sure, but it’s undeniable that enthusiasm is a feminist issue: women and non-binary folk in particular are the ones most denied by the way society treats enthusiasm, and dismisses its importance. Inspired by my nomination in the Holly & Co Female Founders category in The Independent Business Awards, today I’m writing about 5 ways that society views women’s enthusiasm.
Read MoreI know enthusiasm when I see it and when I feel it – especially, in fact, when I feel it and live it, as I’m lucky enough to day-to-day. It’s a very embodied feeling, which can make it hard to put into words. (Brilliant! You say. Perfect for a blog post.) Often, I get away with the definition “Ah, well, you know, it’s what makes the world go round”, because many enthusiasts also recognise that feeling instantly. But what about those who feel it, but don’t know how to name it? Putting words to something gives us power, because once we name it, we can wrangle it. We can harness it. We can utilise it. So, it’s time to answer “What is enthusiasm?”
Read MoreLike an old actor on the run, enthusiasm has lived many a life. Here’s a brief history of enthusiasm through time…
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago in my newsletter, I mused on the age-old party question “What do you do for a living?”. This question is as old as time – by which I mean, I guess, as old as capitalism, which isn’t as old as time at all – but in recent years, it’s been put under the microscope. What would you rather be asked instead?
Read MoreSo many people see enthusiasm as this big, showy display of dedication and affection, but that’s not the full picture. That’s actually only one half of it, the extroverted half. In contrast, if you’re an introvert, you’re likely to show your enthusiasm in different ways: ways that are less outwards-facing, and less visible, perhaps, but no less real or valid.
Read MoreIn short: yes. It’s really important to me that enthusiasm isn’t confused with blind, baseless positivity, or an irritating inability to be annoyed. You can still be enthusiastic whilst being royally pissed off that your parcel was chucked over your hedge instead of left in your safe place, and you can still be an enthusiast whilst feeling despair at a certain situation. This is especially true in a world like today’s, which can feel scary more days than it feels safe.
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