Dr Ntswaki B Masithela
The enthusiasm & optimism that the new year brings!
With 2018 done and dusted, 2019 has brought with it some newness and ‘higher levels’ of desired outcomes that warm the heart and leave one with a “bring it on” kind of a vibe. What a wonderful opportunity it is to be alive – pushing purpose and destiny – and transforming our lives and those around us positively. Every new year gets us enthusiastic and optimistic to SPIRAL UP to new dimensions.
So what’s up with optimism and enthusiasm?
Optimism is a mental attitude reflecting a belief or hope that the outcome of some specific endeavour, or outcomes in general, will be positive, favourable, and desirable. Wikipedia
Enthusiasm is a feeling of energetic interest in a particular subject or activity and an eagerness to be involved in it: Cambridge English Dictionary
Research done by Alan Carr shows that optimism leads to better coping styles. He notes that optimists tend to, amongst other things, pay attention to positive information rather than negative information, engage actively and solve problems positively.
Enthusiasm also accounts for major positive spin-offs in people’s behaviour. It gets people excited about tackling their goals and it enables them to soldier on even in the midst of challenges. It evokes an unstoppable courage to face fears, setbacks and obstacles and do what needs to be done.
As the month of January ticks along, it becomes very important to sustain the enthusiasm and the optimism that the dawn of a new year brought. It can be very easy for the environment to overpower the will to move on to new dimensions. Routine and old habits always threaten to creep in. To avoid losing the enthusiasm and optimism – the following simple strategies can be applied:
1. Have clarity regarding what you want to achieve.
Clarity is indeed king. As it is said, if you don’t stand for anything you will fall for everything. You will end up entangled in other people’s visions instead of focusing on your very own. Be clear about what you want and resolutely go for it.
2. Be passionate.
One of Spiral Up Coaching’s nuggets is “When you love what you do – what you do will love you back”. There is nothing as refreshing and uplifting as pursuing something that you truly love and enjoy. When things get too difficult, the passion causes you to develop the drive to press on.
3. Set you mind on what you desire.
If your mind is fully set on what you desire – you will be willing to make necessary changes required to attain what you want. You will be more open to learn from mistakes instead of letting them discourage you. You will be inspired to just keep moving forward.
4. Align what you do to a bigger purpose.
When what you do is aligned to your purpose, your motivation becomes intrinsic rather than extrinsic. When we look at our lives from the perspective of impact, we won’t waste opportunities we find to make a difference in someone else’s life. Even if nobody pays you to do that one thing – you will keep on doing it.
5. Constantly Visualize Your End Result.
Never underestimate the power of the imagination to imprint success in your subconscious mind. The mind can’t distinguish between reality and imagination-it will trigger the required emotions and action for converting your dreams into reality.
Immerse yourself in the new enthusiasm and optimism that the new year brings. DO THE MOST in all your endeavours. The pull of a compelling vision is always stronger than the threat of potential hindrances. Let your vision for 2019 spiral you up to new amazing dimensions. Let enthusiasm and optimism be the fuel that energizes you afresh.
(Resource: Carr, A. (2004). Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness and Human Strengths. Routledge.)