Why is enthusiasm so important to me?

Simply put, it’s what makes life worth living. Now, that’s a bold claim and some big words, but it’s something I’m sticking to - and its magnitude and magnificence is why you need it too. (Not because you’re not already magnificent, obviously; just because we’re going to crank it up even more).

In the dictionary, enthusiasm is described as: “intense enjoyment, interest, or approval; great eagerness to be involved in a particular activity which you like and enjoy or which you think is important.” (For the word nerds out there - and I use that term endearingly - enthusiasm as a word originally comes from the late Latin enthusiasmus ‘inspiration, frenzy’, which came in turn from the Greek enthousiasmos, from enthousiazein ‘be inspired or possessed by a god’.)

But in society, conversely, I often feel like it’s met with the opposite: with disapproval, and at best a distinct lack of interest, at worst, disapproval or judgment. This is what I want to change. I feel like we’ve lost sight of why enthusiasm is crucial: because of automation, social media, or general change, I don’t know, but I’m campaigning to bring it back. Whether it’s on the playground, your Facebook profile or at your desk, enthusiasm is an incredible force we need to harness, protect and nourish.

Being enthusiastic can help your mental health, your physical health, your relationships, your work, and other people’s as well. There’s very little it can’t improve, even if only by a little. That’s why it’s crucial, and why I’ve started this.

Photo by Efe Kurnaz on Unsplash