Today I Choose to be Enthusiastic – When Enthusiastic Feels Impossible

It’s 6:15 AM and I’m staring at my coffee, willing it to make me Enthusiastic. My husband just asked me why I’m trying to be Enthusiastic. I told him it’s cheaper than therapy and less painful than yoga.

If you’re wondering how to be enthusiastic, it can be a natural boost to your daily life. But here’s the thing

about choosing to be Enthusiastic at 61: it’s not a one-time decision. It’s like choosing to diet while living in a bakery. You have to keep choosing it, even when everything smells like croissants and your willpower has the structural integrity of wet tissue paper.

This morning alone, I’ve had to choose Enthusiastic seventeen times. Once when I woke up (failed). Once when I looked in the mirror (definitely failed). Once when I opened my email (spectacular failure). But I’m still choosing. That’s the journey part nobody mentions – it’s less “journey to a destination” and more “circular journey around the same block hoping something changes.”

The Reality of Being Enthusiastic for Thirty Seconds at a Time

Yesterday I managed to be Enthusiastic for exactly thirty-seven seconds. I counted. It was during a commercial break. The moment the show came back on, I lost it. But those thirty-seven seconds? Pure Enthusiastic. I was magnificent.

This is what the self-help books don’t tell you: transformation at this age is measured in seconds, not days. I can be Enthusiastic while my coffee brews. I can be Enthusiastic at red lights (sometimes). I can be Enthusiastic in the bathroom, which is really just hiding, but I’m counting it.

My friend Susan claims she’s Enthusiastic all day long. Susan also claims she loves kale and understands cryptocurrency. Susan is a liar.

The Small Daily Practices That Sort of Work

Here’s how I practice being Enthusiastic throughout the day:

Morning: I choose to be Enthusiastic for the three minutes it takes to make coffee. This is sacred Enthusiastic time. Do not disturb.

Midday: I attempt Enthusiastic while eating lunch. Usually works until I check my phone and see the news. Then Enthusiastic goes out the window along with my faith in humanity.

Afternoon: I practice Enthusiastic by not saying what I’m really thinking during phone calls. This is advanced Enthusiastic. I deserve a medal.

Evening: I embody Enthusiastic by not throwing things at the TV during pharmaceutical commercials. This counts as growth.

The Enthusiastic Support Group Nobody Talks About

We should have support groups for this stuff. “Hi, I’m Susie, and I’ve been trying to be Enthusiastic for three days. I’ve succeeded for a total of four minutes. Applause please.”

Because here’s the truth: we’re all struggling with this. Every single one of us. Even the people who seem naturally Enthusiastic. They’re probably just better at faking it. Or they’re on something. Or they’re robots.

The woman who cuts my hair told me she’s been trying to be more Enthusiastic. “How’s it going?” I asked. “Well,” she said, “I haven’t stabbed anyone with scissors, so… progress?” That’s the kind of honesty we need more of.

What Being Enthusiastic Actually Means at This Age

At 61, being Enthusiastic doesn’t mean becoming a different person. It means finding tiny ways to express this quality in my existing chaos.

Maybe it’s being Enthusiastic for one conversation. Maybe it’s bringing Enthusiastic energy to making dinner (even if dinner is cereal). Maybe it’s choosing Enthusiastic thoughts for the duration of one dog walk.

These aren’t transformative moments. They’re barely noticeable. But they add up. Like coins in a jar, eventually you have enough for something. Maybe not a vacation, but at least a fancy coffee.

The Permission to Be Bad at This

You’re allowed to be terrible at being Enthusiastic. You’re allowed to succeed for three seconds and call it a win. You’re allowed to forget you were trying to be Enthusiastic and remember at 9 PM and try again tomorrow.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about practice. And practice means doing it wrong repeatedly until you accidentally do it right. Then doing it wrong again because you got cocky.

Today’s Small Victory

This afternoon, I was Enthusiastic for one entire phone call with my insurance company. Granted, I was on hold for most of it, but still. When the representative finally answered, I maintained my Enthusiastic energy for the full three minutes it took to resolve my issue.

Did I celebrate? You bet I did. Did I immediately lose all Enthusiastic when I couldn’t open a jar of pickles? Absolutely. But for those three minutes on the phone, I was gloriously, magnificently Enthusiastic.

The Journey Continues (Whether We Like It or Not)

Tomorrow I’ll wake up and choose to be Enthusiastic again. I’ll probably fail by 6:30 AM. But I’ll try again at 7. And 8. And throughout the day in tiny, imperfect ways.

Because that’s what this journey really is – not a straight line to transformation, but a wobbly, circular, sometimes backwards path of small daily choices.

Today I choose to be Enthusiastic. For the next five minutes. Maybe ten if I’m feeling ambitious. After that, all bets are off.

But those five minutes? They count. They matter. They’re part of the journey.

And that’s enough. More than enough.

That’s everything.