Every evening over dinner my husband and I play a little game, which is more a way to share, stay connected, and start conversations that anything else. We each say our best, worst, tomorrow and gratitude. We start by sharing the best part of our day, then the worst part of our day, followed by something we are looking forward to tomorrow, and finally one thing we are thankful for that the other did that day.
It was during one of these conversations last night that a funny point came to light. My husband went on about his day, and the exciting projects he has coming up in his life and I did the same. We both spoke with excitement. We were both eager to share. We were both smiling from just the thought of what the near future held for us. So what is the punchline? My husband had just finished describing the details of how he is going to perform an amazing wingsuit flying stunt fly and BASE jump off the from an iconic location. I on the other hand was talking about how I am trying to arrange a trip to a soft play park with my Mommy friends and their babies.
How Are We Equally Excited About Such Different Plans
My husband is once again about to embark on a project that most people can only dream about. Scratch that. My husband is once again about to embark on TWO projects, either one of which, most people can only dream about. Conversely, on what may seem superficially to be on the exact opposite end of the excitement spectrum, I am going to go with a group of friends to watch our young babies clumsily manoeuvre a soft play park.
So how is possible that we are equally pumped about what life has in store for us? Because we chose these lives. We both took the time to ask ourselves what our dreams are. Then we went out and made those dreams a reality. Where you are living your life, right now is a consequence of the choices you made. The plan you laid out in your mind. Of course obstacles can fall into the path and we have to take slightly alternate routes to reach our destination. Likewise, occasionally as we learn more about ourselves we decide to abandon the original destination all together in search of what we have now decided will make us more happy.
If you live a life you chose, then its easy to find the wonder in the everyday, because your everyday is a dream come true. Whatever your happiness ambition is, some of us chose to fly, and some of us chose motherhood, seeking it out will give you enthusiasm for every step along the way.
Be Enthusiastic For YOUR LIFE, Because Its Your Life Not Anyone Else’s
Part of the deal for being enthusiastic about your life, is realizing just that, its your life. You are not living this for anyone else, and more importantly you cannot live it by anyone else’s standards. I am sure most of my veterinary colleagues would think me mad for leaving the career I trained nearly a decade for to stay home and change dirty diapers and I know for a fact most people think my husband is insane for all the seemingly dangerous feats he undertakes. But living a life by your own standards of success means ignoring other peoples judgements.
I don’t bother basing how happy I am on comparisons made between where I am in life and where my peers are. Because who are my peers anyway? Someone my same age? Someone with the same educational background? Someone who came from the same socioeconomic background as me? The answer is I don’t have any peers. None of us do. We are individuals with such incredibly complex idiosyncrasies, that why would we ever bother trying to compare? Even if we started from the same place, are phenotypically similar, our internal drives and external motivators could never match anyone elses.
So do what makes you happy, not what you think other people expect you to do, and rejoice that you are doing that everyday.
How Are We Equally Excited To Hear About Each Other’s Plans
Finding someone who loves to hear your stories, someone who can’t wait for your best, worst, tomorrow, and gratitude, every night will help your enthusiasm for life grow exponentially. You can both feed off of each other’s positive energy, and find the beauty in the everyday.
By recruiting these people you create an Environment for Enthusiasm. You feel comfortable celebrating your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem to others. You feel comfortable to exclaim over the beauty you see in the world around you. You can be enthusiastic about this life you are living, this life you chose.
Main photo by Maurice.
