Excitement

How often do you think about excitement? Not joy or contentment, but actual excitement. Like a little kid the night before going to Disneyland for the first time. It seems like the older we get, the less opportunities we have to find real excitement.

Part of that could be because, as we age, there are fewer “first-time” opportunities, but the trick to living an exciting life isn’t to collect novel experiences. Instead, we should look for what makes us feel excited in our everyday lives and then follow that feeling.

This is actually easier than you may think. Studies show that the things that cause us anxiety can be sources of excitement with a simple reframing.1 Before going into a presentation at work or singing karaoke, people said, “I’m excited” out loud to themselves, and it actually changed their emotions around the act.

“You can get excited about food, experiences, relationships, or anything else that brings the promise of reward. Understanding what’s happening in the brain in a state of excitement is important in everyday situations as well. Excitement can enhance memory and attention, leading to more effective learning… Being aware of what gets you excited, while managing the risks of your decisions, can ultimately help you and your brain learn and grow.”

—Jayatri Das, Ph.D., Chief Bioscientist at The Franklin Institute

But why follow the feeling of excitement, other than for a potential alleviation of anxiety? Because it very often leads us to our passion and purpose in life. Being skilled at something doesn’t mean that has to be your life path unless you want it to be.

For example, I’m a writer. It’s something I’ve been doing for as long as I can remember. I love to tell stories, and I’ve made writing my trade. But over time, I’ve learned that what really gets me excited is sharing the knowledge I’ve gained through a continuous effort to be a better writer. This newsletter is an example of that, as is my newest endeavor The Indie Authors. The thought of being able to help other people feel good about themselves and about their work is something that really excites me. Writing is my skill, and using the journey it’s taken me on to be of service to others is how I found my purpose and my passion.

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

—Oprah Winfrey

When you follow what excites you, you directly align yourself with your life path. You find an effortless reason to pop up each day, eager to see what’s in store. The journey becomes something that you enjoy, rather than just hitting the checkpoints to get to the destination.

And it’s not chasing excitement. This isn’t looking for an adrenaline rush. It’s simply feeling the tug to investigate something more fully, to see what’s on the other side of an unexplored bend in the path. To do this, you must trust yourself.

“The more you trust your intuition, the more empowered you become, the stronger you become, and the happier you become”

—Gisele Bündchen

So, what can you do this week to chase your excitement? Can you start by simply noticing what makes you anxious and reframing that experience? By doing that, you become more familiar with the feeling of excitement, which helps you notice it the next time it nudges you.

Maybe you feel excited by cooking something new, you pull that thread, and years from now, you’ve written a cookbook. Or maybe the thought of competing in an Ironman race gets your heart rate up, and even though you don’t think of yourself as an athlete, you follow that feeling, buy some running shoes, and before you know it, you’re signing up for your first 5k.

There may be fewer new experiences as we age, but there is still excitement all around us if we’re willing to reframe and get curious.

With gratitude,

Natalie

Want more ways to become 1% better? Here are 100 simple changes to improve your life 1% at a time.