Enthusiasm for Life

[bakes0310]

Im afraid im one of the annoying smiling, whistling and happy people. Im not like it all the time, i do try and tone it down as i can come across a bit cocky sometimes. Funny thing is i shoulnt be like it at the moment as life has gave me a few little knocks. But instead im sat here all happy, making random lightsaber noises and laughing to myself

 

[AshD93]

Just think how long you will be dead for.

I lol'ed

Depends what your life goals are and if you're hitting them.

 

[platypus]

Are you in something which is okay, but not something which makes you happy? Just from a general impression, rather than a specific memory, I'm sure you have a good job (read: well paid) and your partner's an optician, so doing fairly well for herself. From the outside, that all seems good.

But, on the other hand, I remember you posting about wanting to join the Army, but that your past has made that difficult, or impossible? That'd lead me to assume you're 'just' okay with your current job, but it's not ideal/what you actually want/whatever.

If you're not satisfied in your work, I can't imagine you'll ever really have a full ~zest for life~ outlook, or whatever. Perhaps you just need to reflect on what you want out of your work life, if you want to travel/emigrate/etc (I remember you posting about moving to NZ, right?!)? You're in a relatively good position, with your financial position/no kids(?!)/educational background, so you probably have the freedom to find and to do what makes you happy.

I suppose that yes we are doing well for ourselves. The NZ question was merely about her having a job opportunity, which she decided not to pursue. I'd love to live abroad for the experience but I'm not sure if it would make me happy, or give me an 'enthusiasm for life'.

Yes work is ok, but as you say doesn't really give me any fulfillment - I don't know what would .

 

[unwashed potato!]

watch this film. problem solved

 

[hood1971]

While I am generally a pessimistic person and over think, I do work hard at trying to find joy in small things. You do not need to be enthusiastic about every aspect of your life, just make time to do things that do. I am not a 'happy' person but do feel happiness at times.

 

[ikillbears]

for some reason OP. When ever i see your name. I immediately look to your avatar, and they just fit and i imagine thats what you look like in life

 

[Cosimo]

Life is a train journey from A to B & it's up to you how you fill your time during the trip.

A mix of slow and fast trains is good.

 

[illuz]

But instead im sat here all happy, making random lightsaber noises and laughing to myself

Oh god, one of those people.

 

[platypus]

for some reason OP. When ever i see your name. I immediately look to your avatar, and they just fit and i imagine thats what you look like in life

. That's not going to cheer me up .

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

A mix of slow and fast trains is good.

 

[anything I don't mind]

I don't realy have enthusiasm for life in the sense of one of those American life coaches. But i try to keep a positive attitude in general but it is very easy to be a fed up angry person with a bad attitude. It can be more difficult to be pleasant and have a good attitude in spite of life's offerings. I think i just sit in the middle, my attitude is not fed up and angry but im not exactly the most cheerful bloke either.

 

[Tefal]

I can relate, most of the people I know seem to be on an emotional roller-coaster of misery/happiness flinging from one extreme to the other constantly - living life with a child like enthusiasm (which has some benefits & some flaws).

Myself,

I'm a misanthropic humanist - but the below quote seems pretty apt for me & I'm sure many others who share some of my point of view.

Inside every pessimist is a disappointed

On a side note (not to sound arrogant) but studies have found a correlation between intelligence & depression/misery - as to learn is to lack ignorance & ignorance is indeed bliss (or so it seems).

It's pretty easy to be happy if you are a vapid airhead with no consideration of the pretty extreme amounts of human suffering in the world & live in a fantasy where you are special & important (when in reality our species is completely insignificant).

ignorance has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence though.

gotta love that self serving logic though eh, "I'm missirible because I'm sooo intelligent" my arse.

 

[CREATIVE!11]

I think life is **** 'ing amazing really (The first world at least), when I think about it. All the opportunity we have in this world. All the fun experiences at our finger tips all the stuff we can do. I think you only lack enthusiasm if you are surrounded by unenthusiastic negative people and stuck in a rut doing something you hate or your life hasn't turned out way you wanted it to (no i'm not talking about being a rockstar but just in a general sense). I remember my last job being surrounded by people who just moaned constantly, it started to make me feel physically ill. That stuff rubs off on you, you should read the book learned optimism. It explains are emotional states are nothing more than habits.

To not be enthusiastic about life to me is an absolutely absurd concept.

But don't worry. Life is short and fleeting so if people are not willing to find the joy in life it'll all be over very soon.

 

[wingman]

I've been told that I have no enthusiasm. This is probably true, but I was wondering; how many people do have a genuine enthusiasm for life? If so, how do you go about obtaining it?

Do you think that one requires enthusiasm in order to be happy?

Who has told you that you have no enthusiasm?

It depends by what you mean by "genuine enthusiasm". I've got friends who, on the outside, have an ecstatic behavior and savour every moment of life like as if it was their last. If you met them you'd immediately recognise this behaviour, and enjoy their company and possibly even envy their lifestyle and outlook on life. I've spoken to these same friends individually, completely alone, and I've witnessed a very different side of their mentality. (A side note, people tend to confide in me, I don't know why). One even went so far to admit that he was "depressed with life" (a loose term I'll admit, but I am positive he hit the nail on the head with this description). This particular example came from a young, attractive man with a good head on his shoulders and a sensational, addictive exterior attitude. His presence immediately brings everyone's mood up, but still he remained depressed.

I do not believe that external factors necessarily dictate your happiness. I do believe that they can help, but only to a certain degree. True happiness must lie within. I've read studies with the correlation of money and happiness, and time and time again it results in a peak around a certain annual wage. In basic terms, the studies suggest that once an individual/family earn enough money to support their basic needs (food, house, car etc), a holiday each year and entertainment, that happiness doesn't increase after this has been met. In the US, for an individual, the study suggested that happiness from money was capped at around $40,000.00 per annum per individual. It wasn't suggesting for a second money could make you happy, it was implying that "a lack of money" can indeed make you unhappy.

Derek recently taught me that kindness is the only way to "win" at life, and I believe this to be true. I am only truly content when I am helping another individual.

 

[elmarko]

ignorance has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence though.

gotta love that self serving logic though eh, "I'm missirible because I'm sooo intelligent" my arse.

Stupid people tend to be ignorant.

Not to mention it's not exactly a stretch to make the connection that greater awareness relates to reduced ignorance.

Obviously it doesn't mean that all intelligent people are depressed - or that all depressed people are intelligent - just that intelligence has a statistically significant relationship with depression.

Perhaps you should brush up on the meaning of the word ignorant.

Adjective
Lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated or unsophisticated.
Lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about something in particular: "ignorant of astronomy"

if you are surrounded by unenthusiastic negative people

Key point worth highlighting.

If you want to be happy, get happier friends - don't spend time with miserable people - it's known it makes a big difference.

 

[wingman]

I remember my last job being surrounded by people who just moaned constantly, it started to make me feel physically ill. To not be enthusiastic about life to me is an absolutely absurd concept.

I completely understand that, surrounding yourself with a type of people will eventually make you similar to them, or hate them even more to an extent you're unhappy being around them.

Life is short and fleeting so if people are not willing to find the joy in life it'll all be over very soon for you.

I think people are willing to find the joy, I do not think for a second anyone wakes up in the morning and inherently looks to find a lack of joy. It's just some struggle to find it.

 

[semi-pro waster]

On a side note (not to sound arrogant) but studies have found a correlation between intelligence & depression/misery - as to learn is to lack ignorance & ignorance is indeed bliss (or so it seems).

William Feather said much the same several decades ago - "One of the indictments of civilizations is that happiness and intelligence are so rarely found in the same person.".

I'm personally not convinced but it's a possibility of course that intelligence is linked to a lack of contentment.

 

[CREATIVE!11]

Key point worth highlighting.

If you want to be happy, get happier friends - don't spend time with miserable people - it's known it makes a big difference.

Indeed, I remember reading in some book a long time back that emotions are contagious, they spread very easily amongst us. So if you are surrounded by people who have nothing good to say eventually you'll catch it in yourself and probably join in. Great thing is positivity rubs off too, anyone ever met someone who was just charismatic and fun and being around them just brought you up but you had NO idea how or why? that's the concept at work. Thankfully I've got a couple friends like this even if they are 200 miles away.

I completely understand that, surrounding yourself with a type of people will eventually make you similar to them, or hate them even more to an extent you're unhappy being around them.

Yes this happened to me, I had to stop regularly speaking with a few people I know. You can try help them but if people are not willing you can't continue to let others pull you down.

I think people are willing to find the joy, I do not think for a second anyone wakes up in the morning and inherently looks to find a lack of joy. It's just some struggle to find it.

Good point. Where I am at my life I am in that very position, I have no money at all for anything. Yet surprisingly enough I feel better than ever at times compared with previously in my life which is contradictory. (I of course though have my off days on occasion)

I think problem finding joy in life just comes from looking in the wrong places or asking yourself the wrong questions. For example at one point I just used to ask myself "what am I grateful for?" When you think about it even having a roof over your head is something to feel good about it.

 

[oulton]

William Feather said much the same several decades ago - "One of the indictments of civilizations is that happiness and intelligence are so rarely found in the same person.".

I'm personally not convinced but it's a possibility of course that intelligence is linked to a lack of contentment.

I don't believe that either.

Ignorance in reality is not bliss. It is confusion, lack of understanding and can lead to some pretty imbalanced ideas/views.

Intelligent people may have more concerns, but also more ways of resolving them. I don't think this is what Platypus is referring to as lack of enthusiasm for life.

Platypus you seem to be quite well off materially, what about the other aspects of life? Do you have goals? Do you feel challenged intellectually by your work? Do you exercise? Do you get enough fresh air? Do you have a potassium deficiency? There are many factors which affect the psyche!

 

[CREATIVE!11]

Platypus you seem to be quite well off materially, what about the other aspects of life? Do you have goals? Do you feel challenged intellectually by your work? Do you exercise? Do you get enough fresh air? Do you have a potassium deficiency? There are many factors which affect the psyche!

Nice questions! All of those matter a huge amount.

(Exercise being MASSIVE MASSIVE one, also diet quality of food you put into you dictates your emotions and indirectly your enthusiasm toward things)