enthusiasm vs. restlessness

Do you enjoy trying new things, meeting new people, energizing a room, or searching for the next best idea?

If you can relate to any of these qualities it is likely you embody the strength of enthusiasm. People who possess this strength are naturally optimistic, encouraging, and have the ability to make others feel comfortable in given situations whether they be social or professional.

Enthusiastic people are energized and particularly good at getting those around them to reach their level of excitement. But, their energy may often be misconstrued by others as hard to rely on or flaky. Enthusiastic people have a tendency to jump around from experience to experience, exhausting all potential options in the search for the best one.

The enthusiastic person’s mind tends to be elsewhere and is constantly moving a million miles a minute. They are frequently generating new ideas and are skilled brainstormers. They strive to keep themselves occupied and have difficulty committing to people or situations because they fear if they do so they will miss out on something better that comes along.

These types of people are excited about the future, meeting new people, and trying new things. They do not err on the side of caution and constantly strive to create fun in their lives. They are optimistic, outgoing, and possess a natural social ability.

However, with every strength there comes what is called a “shadow” or “misconstructed strength.” Shadows develop as a result of our in-groups, such as our families, friends, schools, co-workers, etc. In each of these groups, certain behaviors and values are encouraged or discouraged. Due to our implicit desire to feel accepted by those around us, we suppress behaviors, or parts of our personality, that are unaccepted by a given group. After some time, we begin to attribute these behaviors negatively and refrain from expressing them in other areas of our lives. While we suppress various behaviors, they do not disappear, rather they sit in our unconscious uncultivated. When we encounter others who are able to easily express a behavior we have attributed as negative, we become frustrated.

For example, do get annoyed when others decline your offer to try something new because of a previous commitment? Do you consider it “lame” when those around you seem to lack spontaneity? This frustration is not so much due to another’s lack of impulsivity, but perhaps your accumulative nature. If you consider yourself enthusiastic, it’s likely you never practiced committing to anything long-term, you suppressed the behavior and now envy others who are capable of doing so- the frustration you feel is a projection of your shadow.

A common shadow accompanied by enthusiasm is restlessness. Have you ever started a project only to have forgotten about it a few days later? Or run around meeting new people in a social setting rather than developing an already existing relationship?

Since enthusiastic people are frequently searching for the next exciting opportunity or person, they have trouble committing to seeking the full potential of an opportunity or developing deeper relationships with others.

They are often anxious, anticipating what could happen next rather than being present in the current moment. They have exciting goals for themselves but difficulty seeing them through to fruition because they become caught up in each of their new ideas or opportunities.

While this may paint enthusiastic people out as having an inability to follow through, there are practices to help us become healthy enthusiasts.

It is not suggested that enthusiastic people dull their optimism or refrain from keeping the wheels in their head from constantly turning, but rather they complete their immediate goals before getting caught up in the next big idea. It is important for them to practice thinking towards what will be best in the long-term rather than the short-term.

Enthusiast’s often have difficulty coming to terms with the idea that life tends to turn out according to plan without much effort. That we don’t always need to make things happen for ourselves and that opportunities present themselves when we are present in the moment and not always planning ahead.

Another practice towards becoming a healthy enthusiast is through holding quality over quantity. Try dedicating time towards building more meaningful relationships rather than just more relationships, or focusing on making the most of the present moment rather than planning the upcoming moments.

Enthusiastic people often strive to fill their lives by doing more and keeping busy. But, by frequently jumping around they may not find what it is in life they’re truly searching for. Always looking for what’s next leaves us out of touch with the present moment and mentally distant from those close to us.

If you resonate with being enthusiastic and restless, how can you practice committing to yourself and to others? Maybe it is by setting and completing smaller, short-term goals, or setting time aside to sit and catch up with a friend. Maybe it is by practicing patience or allowing yourself to sit and disconnect. Think of how you can remove yourself from a mindset of accumulation and into a mindset of cultivation.

Start now by sharing your thoughts in the comments to set your intention.