Is enthusiasm realistic in this day and age?

In short: yes.

(Did you expect anything else?)

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.

In fact, day to day, you’re probably enthusiastic about certain things without even properly realising it. It’s not about being enthusiastic about absolutely everything, an outlook which is not only unrealistic but also can be harmful, but instead, being enthusiastic about something - or even, some things generally - and really running with it. This is when the magic happens.

Enthusiasm may be a universal feeling, but it’s a totally personal journey. There’s no giant change, no radical formula, no one right away (and no one left way, whilst we’re at it). It’s baby steps - a bit here, a little there.

Even to say it’s something to be taken at your own pace would be misleading, as that suggests there’s one planned path to be taken, one 12 step movement you have to follow and fit around your life. That’s not it, chief. It’s just harnessing your natural feeling, ramping it up to a level you’re comfortable with, and making the world a nicer place with it.

And what’s more realistic than that?

Photo by Jacqueline Munguí on Unsplash