Character Development: Zest And Zest Affirmations

In Episode 4 of our Character Strengths Affirmation Series, we explore the strength of zest, the final character strength in the Courage Virtue. This episode invites you to reflect on the role zest plays in living a life of joy and adventure. Through thought-provoking insights and affirmations, we’ll celebrate the strength it takes to say "yes" to life, even when it would be easier not to.

With love,
Hannah

Transcript

In a world that often focuses so much on what we lack,

It's easy to overlook the incredible internal strengths that each of us possess.

Grounded in ancient philosophy and modern science,

This series invites you to reconnect with the innate strengths that make you who you are,

Promoting balance and harmony in everyday life.

Whether you're looking to boost your confidence,

Overcome negative self-talk,

Deepen your relationships,

Or simply invite a greater sense of well-being,

My hope is that this series offers a practical and uplifting path to personal growth.

All right,

Hello gorgeous people and welcome to our character strengths affirmation series.

Each session we explore one of the 24 character strengths identified by positive psychology,

All of which fall under the virtues of courage,

Humanity,

Wisdom,

Justice,

Temperance,

Or transcendence.

These strengths and virtues are universal and they form the foundation of our highest selves.

If you haven't already,

I recommend that you check out the intro episode which will provide you with background information on what to expect from this series.

The virtue that we have been exploring is courage,

Which the Values in Action or VIA Institute defines as the internal force that drives action in the face of fear or opposition,

Allowing us to exercise our free will and face adversity.

The character strengths that make up courage are bravery,

Honesty,

Perseverance,

And zest.

In today's session we will be focusing on zest and zest affirmations.

Zest is a really cool character strength in my opinion.

Zest is all about living with excitement and a sense of adventure,

Bringing a spirited and lively presence to everything you do.

I think the fact that zest falls under courage says a lot about what it takes to live life with your whole self.

Courage at its core involves the ability to take meaningful action despite difficulties or potential risks,

And zest amplifies this by infusing such actions with energy,

Enthusiasm,

And a positive outlook.

It is a truly vulnerable and courageous thing to not only care about something,

But to also pursue it,

Invest in it,

And let that part of yourself be seen by the world.

As always when it comes to all of these character strengths,

Balance is key.

A deficiency in zest can lead to feeling disengaged from life.

It's that feeling we all know it.

It's that feeling of going through the motions or feeling disconnected from the work that you do.

Sometimes this happens because we haven't given ourselves time to rest.

Sometimes this happens because we've forgotten our why,

Our sense of meaning and purpose associated with what we're doing.

Sometimes this happens because joy just isn't being modeled for us or it's not part of the culture that we're working in.

On the flip side of that,

On the other extreme,

An excess of zest can manifest as mania or impulsiveness or hyperactivity.

This is when we become so caught up in a project that we forget to eat or sleep.

Or when we become so excited about what we have to share that we forget to listen to the person that's talking.

Now I told y'all from the jump that I would be honest about which character strengths I have struggled to strengthen and which ones I have struggled to rein in.

And zest is one of those for me that can fall under both categories depending upon what time in my life we're talking about.

When I was in college,

I really just did it all.

I mean,

I was taking 18 credits.

I worked at two different research labs.

I was an editor at a journal.

I started two different clubs at the university.

I was a meditation teacher.

I was working as a crisis counselor.

And this really came from a place of having a lot of interests.

I also had gone to school on FAFSA.

And so I really cared about taking up as many classes as I could,

Because there was a period where I didn't think that I was going to be able to go to college because I didn't think that I would be able to afford it.

And so I really didn't take it for granted.

But this also meant that I was so burned out that I did not have the energy to put passion into my assignments.

It was about checking boxes.

It was about if I can just get it done and move on to the next,

I'll survive.

I really don't know how I did it.

Because now I have a standard of if I'm going to do something,

I'm going to do it for real.

I'm going to do it because I love it.

I'm going to do it and I'm going to really enjoy the process.

And so at that point in my life,

Zest was low.

Zest was low.

I was really it was giving grayscale.

It was giving sadness.

It was giving I need not a nap,

But a coma for about two years to just reorient to what being a human is supposed to look like.

Don't get me wrong.

I loved everything that I did.

I loved being able to study psychology and anthropology and creative writing and dance.

It was great.

It was a beautiful opportunity.

And I wouldn't change it for the world.

But I wouldn't repeat it.

You know,

We got to learn from our past mistakes and know that I how we do something also matters not just what we do.

On the other side of that,

I am now at a point in my life where I will get so excited about things that I just so I'm in I'm currently I'm in graduate school.

And I had to create a rule where I couldn't sit at the front of the classroom,

Because I would like not see myself and I would just be full on Hermione Granger.

Anytime the professor asked a question,

I would be just like dislocating my shoulder because I was so excited to share a thought or a feeling or a piece of information with the class to the point where it was like,

Relax,

Like you need to chill.

You we've we've gone past the point of zest and exceeded into a point of inappropriate classroom behavior.

So I'm just imagining like people in my cohort,

If any of you are listening to this,

I'm so sorry.

I love you guys.

And please forgive me.

I have since integrated feedback and have chilled out and appreciate your patience with me.

Ultimately,

I really think that zest is just one of the most special things that we can try to cultivate.

When I talk about zest,

What I really mean is finding those things in life,

And creating that relationship to life where you feel actually energized just to be alive.

I want that for you.

I want that for all of us.

And maybe for you,

You get that feeling at work,

Because you get to exercise exactly what you feel you were born to do.

Or maybe for you,

Work is just work.

And you get that feeling when you're laughing with your friends,

Or when you're writing a poem,

Or when you're scaling a mountain,

Or when you're standing before the ocean,

And you feel like you could just scream or cry or laugh,

Or just jump in.

And you feel alive.

Figuring out what it looks like for you requires getting quiet,

Listening to who you really are,

And what you really want.

And then finding ways to integrate that into your life,

So that you're living a life where you have something worth being passionate for.

The comedian John Mulaney has this bit where he points out,

The line is something like,

It's 100% easier to not do something than to do it.

And then he says,

It's miraculous that anyone does anything at all.

My response to that would be,

What about zest?

You know,

What about having the courage to do a thing not because you need to,

But because it makes life worth living?

Because it,

You know,

It makes you think just for a moment that maybe I consented to being born into this life knowing full well the complexity of the human experience,

And said,

Yes,

Yes,

I will take on that challenge because it's worth it.

I don't want what's easy.

I want what's real.

Before we begin,

Let's offer a blessing to set our intention.

May we be blessed with the energy to greet each day with enthusiasm and joy.

May we approach our lives with the spirit of adventure,

Finding excitement in both the small and grand moments of life.

May we bring warmth and passion to all that we do.

And may our spirited presence empower others to face challenges with a joyful heart,

Turning each experience into an opportunity for growth and fulfillment.

I will read each statement twice,

Pausing in between to give you a chance to repeat them out loud to yourself,

And I do recommend saying them out loud.

The statements that are easy to embrace,

Savor them,

Appreciate them,

Stand like a mountain in their truth.

And then the statements that feel not so good,

That feel uncomfortable or foreign,

Go ahead and say them anyway.

This is where we are doing the work,

Rewiring those neural networks.

This is also where we gain insight into unhealed wounds,

Limiting beliefs,

And ingrained biases and judgments toward ourselves or toward a particular way of being.

It's great material for journaling or discussing with a counselor or trusted friend,

Maybe even someone doing the with you.

Whether you're just waking up,

Walking your dog,

On your commute,

Or getting ready for bed,

I hope these affirmations serve your deepest,

Greatest,

Highest self.

And with that,

Let's get started.

I am full of zest.

I am full of zest.

I find small joys in everything I do.

I find small joys in everything I do.

My enthusiasm is tempered by moments of rest and reflection.

My enthusiasm is tempered by moments of rest and reflection.

My positive outlook fuels my passion for living.

My positive outlook fuels my passion for living.

I rest so that I can show up fully for what I love.

I rest so that I can show up fully for what I love.

I love engaging with the world around me.

I love engaging with the world around me.

I am open to the world around me.

I am open to the wonders of life.

I am open to the wonders of life.

My passion and excitement inspires others.

My passion and excitement inspires others.

I engage wholeheartedly in the things that bring me joy.

I engage wholeheartedly in the things that bring me joy.

My sense of vitality is contagious.

My sense of vitality is contagious.

I balance doing with being to enhance my capacity to thrive.

I balance doing with being to enhance my capacity to thrive.

I balance doing with being to enhance my capacity to thrive.

There is always a reason to celebrate.

There is always a reason to celebrate.

There is always a reason to celebrate.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

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I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

I am energized by my pursuits.

So,

May we be well so that we can do good and may you go forth with peace and many,

Many,

Many blessings.

I will see you next time.

Reviews

Hannah, that was wonderful and I feel energized and excited to start my day😀🙏😊!