Over the past years, I have had a hard time feeling consistently excited about things.
I see that problem with many other people especially those of my generation (Generation Z).
Maybe this is left over from the craziness of 2020. Or maybe there is just an epidemic of worldwide blues going around.
Everything just feels bleh and it feels unnecessarily hard to keep a positive mindset and be excited about the future. Basically, all you want to do is stay in bed all day, have ice cream and watch Netflix.
You go through the motions of going to work or school, getting home, having your dinner, heading to bed and starting over the next day. During weekends, you may spend some time with friends. But the problem is, it’s like you’re not really there. You’re just moving on autopilot.
Can you relate?
I’m a very bubbly person by nature. In my friend group, I’m the one always jumping around, getting excited about random things and using way too many exclamation marks. But these past few years, I haven’t felt like that person and it’s been difficult for me to embody that bubbly, energetic persona in my daily life.
Why do I have a hard time getting excited about things?
1. Mental health issues
If you are struggling to get excited about things in your everyday life, you may be struggling with some mental health issues like anxiety or depression. Seek out a therapist to learn exactly what is going on with you and help you figure out the best way to get back to a good place in your mind again.
2. Burnout
The hustle culture that we live in today wants us to constantly be doing, achieving and performing. It’s completely and utterly exhausting.
If you can relate, you might have trouble being excited about your everyday life because you are just drained and tired from being so busy. While I was in university, not only did I have my classes to worry about, but I also had to network professionally and I also worked two jobs on campus. I didn’t feel like doing much else besides that and I barely made plans with people in my life because I was so tired all the time.
3. You’re on autopilot
Living on autopilot isn’t fun. You are just doing the same things day in and day out without even thinking about it. Your routine feels very mundane and there’s nothing unique about it. It’s no surprise that you feel bored and you can’t get excited about things!
Some days are better than others but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If you are currently feeling this way, here are some things I’ve done to get myself out of that rut and get excited about life again. I hope these help you too!
How To Get Excited About Life Again
1. Affirmations
Every single morning, I recite some positive affirmations before I start my day.
This helps me feel excited about life in general and optimistic about the day ahead. What I love about positive affirmations is that the more consistent you are with them, the more you’ll develop a habit of thinking positively. They also help rewire your brain to help you think more positive thoughts instead of negative ones.
One of my favourites is saying “Something really cool is going to happen for me today” as part of my morning routine.
By speaking out affirmations like these, you are putting out that positive energy into the world. You are also going to be more likely to look for “signs” that something really cool is indeed going to happen to you.
2. Plan a fun trip
It’s no surprise that you feel bored with your life if you’re not having fun or doing anything exciting. So why not plan a little trip by yourself or with some friends?
Keep in mind it doesn’t have to be anything crazy. You can make it work for your budget.
I had wanted to visit the Caribbean for about 3 years and I finally got to go with some friends a few months ago.
It was everything I could have imagined and more. When we came back home, I felt a lot more refreshed, energized and optimistic about life in general.
Sometimes, a little getaway is just what you need to get out of a rut. It gets you out of your routine environment and into a new one which helps you renew your perspective.
It helps you be more present because you’ll be doing loads of fun and relaxing activities to help you destress. Even better if it’s with other people that you get to connect with. Also, the planning and envisioning of all the things you’re going to do helps you feel excited because you have something to look forward to.
3. Pick up a new, challenging hobby
You may feel bleh and not very excited about life because you haven’t tried anything new in a while.
Your routine consists of the same old tasks and habits that you are so used to, you could do them in your sleep.
Shake up your routine by trying a new, challenging activity!
Some ideas include but are not limited to going to an improv class, training for a marathon, waking up 30 minutes earlier to go on a little stroll outside and get some mood-improving, dopamine-inducing vitamin D.
For me, the challenge I picked up was starting this blog.
Working on this blog has really helped me tackle the lack of excitement in my life. It has absolutely been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done since I had no experience running a website before. Not to mention that writing content consistently is not for the faint of heart! But it has also been so rewarding because I get to be creative and write about things I’m passionate about and connect with other people through our shared experiences with overthinking.
Trying something new will push you out of your comfort zone. This can be incredibly hard sometimes but it can also be so exciting and bring so much more meaning into your life!
4. Act as if exciting things are coming your way
I’m a strong believer in manifestation and the law of attraction. I believe that if you want to feel more excitement in your life, you need to ACT like you already have something to be excited about!
Laugh at everything and with everyone. Break out in dance whenever you’re even in a little bit of a good mood. Smile at people. Sing at the top of your lungs if that’s your thing.
Some people will definitely look at you like you’re a big weirdo but that’s okay. At least you’ll be a happy, excited weirdo!
You need to exert positive energy in order to attract positive and exciting things into your life. For example, If I’m hoping for some good news about something or I just want to have something to look forward to, I like to create a playlist of my favourite, most upbeat songs. This is the playlist I will blast in my house to celebrate when I receive my good news.
While I wait, I may play a few songs here and there to get me even more pumped about the great, exciting news I’m about to receive.
Of course, you will not feel like being this cheerful all the time. Sometimes you just don’t have the energy or motivation. I’m not trying to promote toxic positivity here.
That’s why some days you’ll need to just push yourself. That’s why I love this High 5 Habit idea from Mel Robbins. By giving yourself a simple high five in the mirror every morning, you’re basically telling your brain that you support yourself and you are cheering for yourself no matter what your current circumstances might look like.
You need to be very intentional about how you live your life people! You can’t just expect to feel motivated and excited any time!
How can I be excited about everyday life?
It’s not easy to always feel excited about everyday life.
You may have a bad day here and there. Life can also throw you curveballs that really catch you off-guard.
All you can really do is be present and grateful for the good things that you already have like your health and your friends and family.
By focusing on the good, exciting things already present in your life, you’ll feel more at peace and more optimistic which will in turn attract more positive things into your life.
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