enthusiasm
noun
intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.

Enthusiasm. It's such an underrated word and sadly, even less embodied.

When we're toddlers, we could be described as enthusiastic. Of course we were also cute, funny, odd, adorable, and moody, but our enthusiasm and what we were enthusiastic about was one of the most fascinating things about us.

Kids are enthused by nearly everything: stickers, crayons, nap time, cookies, boogers, anything Disney, bubble wrap, McDonald's Happy Meals, paint, popcorn, the list is endless.

Fast-forward to our mid-twenties and people couldn't be farther away from enthused. It's almost as if the shelled version of ourselves that we presented to the world in our teens has come back in full-force to shadow who we really are. We're constantly dimming the most interesting parts of ourselves to blend into a mold, to fall into the background and to just get by on a day to day basis without causing a ripple in the norm.

It's become cool to not give a shit.

And if that's the case, then being cool is the absolute worst.

Enthusiasm is what makes being alive worthwhile! It doesn't matter whether you're enthusiastic about books, hiking Mount Everest, terrible beer or video games, being enthusiastic is totally cool.

It's what makes us different, breaks us out from the mold and gives us something to say.

I had a friend in elementary school who was intensely passionate about frozen taquitos. Every day after school, we would rush to her house and she would throw open the door chanting "taquitos, taquitos, taquitos!" with her right fist pumping. And she would then proceed to devour 6 of them within seconds. That girl loved taquitos and although we don't keep in touch, I'm sure she still does because I don't see that kind of enthusiasm dying out.

Taquitos aren't what society would deem "cool" like backpacking through Europe or camping in Yosemite, but that was her shtick just like adventuring is to another person and concerts are for me.

I am incredibly enthusiastic about seeing live music and more specifically, the band, Yellowcard. I started attending concerts when I was 16 years old and haven't stopped since. Since the first time I saw Yellowcard at 17 years old, I've seen them upwards of 15 times until their untimely and ultimately heart wrenching break-up a couple years ago.

There is absolutely nothing like being in the audience during one of their shows. We listened to the lead singer, Ryan, belt out Ocean Avenue as the crowd rammed into each other creating a sweaty, sticky and completely thrilling circle pit. We screamed along the lyrics to Only One and stared straight at the stage, the tears building in our eyes, whether from the bright lights or the surge of emotions, I can't say for sure. But what I do know is that they knew how to put on a damn good show.

Aside from Yellowcard, I tend to get excited over the little things. I get happy tears when characters from television shows get together (I'm talking to you, Jim and Pam!), I shimmy and shake with pure happiness while eating an absolutely delicious meal and go to a Minnesota Vikings bar every week to scream at the TV in a bar full of strangers.

To show the world that you actually care about life is special. It's even more special because real, authentic enthusiasm rarely exists. We post pictures at sporting events and concerts and while we may be dressed the part, in person the passion doesn't carry over.

We're muted. Silent. We're okay living a facade—experiencing something, while just floating about without ever actually caring. It's a sad, diluted way to live and if we try just a little bit harder, we may just find meaning in the mundane, the exciting, and the things that scare us the most. Because once we're found those things that make us feel alive and we're willing to share them with the world, this place gets a hell of a lot more fun.