I was teaching a class on the Character Strength of Zest today- something that is hard to come by these days.
Zest is described as approaching life with excitement and energy, not doing things halfway or halfheartedly, living life as an adventure and feeling alive and activated.
“Zestiness” may not be your natural state of being (it for, actually, very few people), but it can be learned and strengthened.
One great way to build it is through gratitude– thinking about what you are grateful for increases feelings of well-being, increases your level of zest and can even boost your immune system, and who doesn’t want more ways to do that right now?
Have I sold you on gratitude yet?
If so and you want to get some quick momentum going, join my 2020 Gratitude Challenge taking place next week- November 23-27!
Here’s the challenge:
On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: Write down 20 things each day that you are grateful for- no repeats!
On Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, write out 100- no repeats!
By the end of the day Friday you will have written down 180+ people, places, things, experiences, etc, you are grateful for.
You don’t have to sit down and do them all at one, unless you want to. And feel free to do more if you really get in a groove!
I hope you will join me. See what happens when you immerse yourself in thinking about what you are thankful about for a whole week. Let’s tip the scale in favor of thinking about what is good in our lives instead of all of the other things that are going on in the world that we can not be certain about.
I am grateful for you, for reading this post and for being a part of my community. Thank you and please share this with others who might like to read it!