Monday, October 23, 2006
Magnificent Monday Motivators
A greater clarity and depth of insight comes as we continue to explore enthusiasm from a wholistic perspective. Often people think of enthusiasm as an emotion because of how they feel when they are enthusiastic (...joyful or passionate about something). Enthusiasm is a strong feeling; and it is a dynamic experience.
Here are some Points to Ponder related to the emotional focus.
"Enthusiasm:
...is the state of joy through which creativity flows."
...inspires action and is the most contagious of all emotions."
...comes from the heart. The heart creates a feeling, which becomes expressive and demonstrative."
...comes from the joy, love of a thing you have a feeling for, sensations within."
...is both an emotional and physical state."
...is the feeling of success and satisfaction I get when I get into the task and finish it."
As we read these we get a sense of how the various aspects of us are affected by affected by enthusiasm. We also get a sense of how they are interrelated. Napoleon Hill, in Think & Grow Rich sums it up this way.
Enthusiasm is an emotion, the physical counterpart of our ideas...Enthusiasm
is a feeling of confidence, an awareness of a relationship between onself and the source of power to achieve.
Often in my programs, people will talk about how much easier it is for children to connect with and express enthusiasm. They go on to say that for them as adults, enthusiasm is hard work. In many cases this is an accurate statement. Many of us received negative messages at some point in our childhood or teen years that it wasn't okay to be exuberant, to be expressive, to have fun, etc. so we shut the door and became disconnected from our feelings.
What to do?
One of the simplest things to do is to give ourself permission to feel our feelings. It is okay to be joyful, exuberant, to have a zest for life...to be on fire with enthusiasm -- at the level and in the way appropriate for you.
Another thing you can do is pay attention to how you feel, on all levels, in the various situations and environments you find yourself. Ask yourself if what you are feeling within matches your outer expression and gestures. There was a period in my life where I was ecstatic inside, yet you would never know it from my outer expression or posture, which was very controlled.
Some may have been so disconnected from their feelings that they don't know how to identify the sensations they are experiencing. Should this be the case for you:
- pause, take in a few deep breaths,
- ask within what it is you are experiencing,
- continue to breathe and listen patiently for the response.
- write about your experience in your journal and make a mental note.
