What would you guess are the four strengths found in people with the highest life satisfaction?
One is enthusiasm, according to research by Chris Peterson and Marty Seligman, and colleagues. This was inspiring news to me because “Enthusiasm Makes the Difference”
is the book I read at 17 that sparked my lifelong passion for positive psychology.
With all the hype and stress about school performance, I was fascinated to discover that, for the people who are happiest in life, intellectual strengths did not make the short list (besides enthusiasm, the others were hope, love and gratitude).
Stop the Stress! Expand Enthusiasm
Over the years, one of the things I’ve learned about enthusiasm is that it reduces stress. It does so by increasing your positive energy, which ripples out to calm your body and your spirit. The more room you give to enthusiasm, the less room you have for stress. Want to expand your enthusiasm? Start with this quick 3-step process:
1. Decide you want to be enthusiastic. More than just a reaction, t’s a choice we can actively make.
2. Find something—anything– that you feel some interest in. It can be a cup of coffee, a future project, a favorite pet, a toothpaste flavor…
3. Once you uncover even an inkling of interest, amplify your enthusiasm: write down all the things you love about your interest. Act enthusiastic and you’ll start to feel it flow. Tell someone else what excites you.
A friend and I built our excitement for a hike by gushing to our ‘tweens, “There’s a wonderful hike we can do together!” We were delighted that our kids rose to the occasion, when a few minutes later they came into the room beaming enthusiastically. They gave us a note that said:
Start with enthusiasm– or hope, love, or gratitude– you just may not want to start with your kids…