Excitement
“If
I had my way, if I was lucky enough, if I could be on the brink my
entire life—that great sense of expectation and excitement—that
would be the perfect state.”
Cate
Blanchett
You
know that state, don't you? That feeling that something good is
coming, something exciting and perfect. You are a little keyed up and
your mind rushes ahead to fill in the blanks of what could possibly
happen. Sometimes we build ourselves up to a fever pitch only to be
let down because nothing could possibly live up to our pipe dream.
Even when it does, we can experience a certain disenchantment on the other
side. It's not depression or pathology of any sort, it is just the
chemistry of excitement--epinephrine (adrenalin), serotonin and
endorphin--returning to normal levels. We may feel a little flat for a
couple of days.
Excitement
is good for us. It fuels hope and optimism and kind of flushes out
the system. One should schedule things to look forward to if at all
possible, just to fuel a positive attitude. It doesn't have to be a
far-flung European vacation or sailing around the Galapagos Islands;
it could be seeing a movie and having dinner at your favorite
restaurant. It might be inviting a buddy over on Saturday night for
steak on the grill and a bottle of good wine. It can even be a
luxurious day spent alone, reading a good book in your pajamas.
Being
'on the brink' of something exciting now and then is part of a
healthy life. It makes getting up on Monday morning and heading back
into the grind bearable. It keeps our positive chemistry flowing and,
actually extends life. A survey was done recently with people who'd
lived well into their nineties. They were asked to what they
attributed their longevity. To the person, they said having a
positive attitude, being essentially optimistic about life, and
never, ever holding a grudge. That's a pretty good recipe. I hope
you're on the brink of something exciting today.
In
the spirit,
Jane
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