June 2009

Hello friends! I hope you are doing well today – I know I am :) The sun is finally shining, I have all of the windows flung open, great music (Nina Simone) on the stereo, a yummy scented candle lit beside me, and a glass of iced coffee to sip on as I type. Today I want to talk about something very dear to my heart, that I feel is so important: how can we bring passion, zest, and joie de vivre into our daily lives? How can we break out of our boring, same-old, same-old routines?

Let me tell you a little story… A few years back, I took a workshop from a woman who just oozed joie de vivre. It was an education workshop – not the sexiest thing in the world, right? But from the moment she walked into the room, you could feel spirits lifting. She had bouncy curls, friendly smile-lines around her eyes and mouth, and cherry-red lipstick. When she spoke, she spoke with such passion you couldn’t help but be fascinated, no matter what she was talking about. She effortlessly illustrated her lessons with anecdotes from her many travels, her dance classes, and her adventures learning other languages.

In short, I was mesmerized. It was a moment that reminds me of that scene from When Harry Met Sally when Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm at a restaurant, and the woman at the next table gestures to her and says, “I’ll have what she’s having” – I wanted whatever it was she had. I wanted to feel vibrant and alive, and live a rich, juicy life. What was her secret? I wondered. She worked, she had a family to care for, and yet she managed to fill up her life with all sorts of interesting experiences and adventures, and had energy to spare.

Sometimes, More Is More

You know what I think part of her secret was? Lots of espresso ;) . Just kidding – what I think she knew was that when you fill up your life with things you love, you actually have more energy. If your job or family life is draining you, the tendency is to pull back and do less. For example, my instinct when I’m feeling tired is to veg out in front of the TV… but this certainly doesn’t boost my energy or add any richness or passion to my life! Instead, I want to try following her lead and begin filling up my schedule with things that add a little zest to my life. How about you? Are you up for a little challenge? Don’t worry, it’s fun!!

Start a list of all the things you can think of that you might want to try. A new shade of lipstick? An improv group? French film club? Keep an open mind and just let your ideas flow: Is there a culture, language, or country that you want to know more about? Are you interested in taking a class or starting a group with some friends? Is there a routine you could adopt to bring a little joie de vivre into your day? Or perhaps there is something a bit more adventurous you want to incorporate into your style?

Once you’ve got at least 5 things that you want to try, commit some time (a half hour should be plenty) this weekend to researching places/classes/groups in your area. If you want to share, I’d love to hear what you’re thinking of doing!

{image: “joie de vivre” from prints by lauradye}

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