Day 23. Courage

Hello! It's cool to see you here again! Keep it up!

??Please read the descriptions of the exercises and perform them as you wish.?

???After completing the exercises, rate your level of happiness on a scale of 0 to 10.?

• 0-4 low?
• 5-7 medium
• 8-10 high?

If you find that a particular exercise brings you a high level of happiness (8-10), you have likely discovered a key virtue that can bring more meaning and satisfaction to your life.?

Zest, Passion and Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is not contrary to reason; it is reason – on fire. Peter Marshall

?You are a spirited person. Do you throw yourself, body and soul, into the activities you undertake? Do you wake up in the morning looking forward to the day? Is the passion that you bring to activities infectious? Do you feel inspired??. M. Seligman.

Mini-test:

A: I throw myself into everything I do.

Very much like me - 5

Like me - 4

Neutral - 3

Unlike me - 2

Very much unlike me - 1

B: I mope a lot.

Very much like me - 1

Like me - 2

Neutral - 3

Unlike me - 4

Very much unlike me - 5

Total your score for these two items. This is your enthusiasm score ___

So, let's start practicing!

Something contagious

Originally, the word "enthusiasm" referred to the state of someone possessed or influenced by a deity. Think of someone who has a gift for inspiring others. What is his or her secret? That's right, they have charisma, the ability to infect everyone around them with their ideas, passion and energy. Very often it is about something completely incomprehensible, not familiar to you, but the person is so energized by his or her own interest that the energy flows everywhere.?

So the practice starts with the following:

• First of all, find "something contagious" in your life. What are you interested in? What consumes you for long hours? What can you talk/think about endlessly?
• Second, look for every opportunity to share your "obsession" with others. Talk about what you are genuinely excited? or passionate about. Try to arose the curiosity of your listeners! Let them know how important and meaningful it is to you. If there are no live listeners, look for other ways to spread your "contagious idea": start blogging, join a community of like-minded people, and if you don't have such a community yet, create and take the lead in it!

Enthusiasm hand-made

If the previous practice doesn't resonate with you, but you still want to try it, follow these guidelines:

1. Surround yourself with enthusiastic people. The opposite also works: the less discouraged and negative minded people in your life, the better.
2. Stimulate your passion. Identify what touches you personally and do it as often as possible. At least 30 minutes a day.
3. Think of all the tasks that bring on boredom. How can you diversify them? Write down a few dozen options. The very process of coming up with them can put you in a state of prolonged enthusiasm.
4. Get out of "zombie" mode. Get enough sleep, eat right and exercise. It's nearly impossible to generate enthusiasm (as well as any other desired state) when you haven't gotten enough sleep, your body is weak and out of tone.
5. Create a list of inspirational quotes.
6. Read literature written in vivid and inspiring language. The following books will give you many tips to help you learn how to get into the right state of mind:

• ?How to Get What You Really Want?? by Barbara Sher.
• ?Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us? by Daniel Pink.
• ?Chicken Soup for the Soul: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone: 101 Stories about Trying New Things, Overcoming Fear and Broadening Your World? by Amy Newmark.
• ?21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time? by Brian Tracy.
• ?The Truth About Employee Engagement. A Fable About Addressing the Three Root Causes of Job Misery? by Patrick Lencioni.
• ?Elon Musk. Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future? by Ashley Vance.

If you are looking for individual support on your journey towards a happier life, I would be glad to help. You can book a free chemistry session now!?