You walk away from an experience - any experience - and feel on fire with excitement and/or energy. Call it having a buzz or being pumped up or psyched. Doesn't matter. For today's reflection, begin by taking a minute to recall the last time this happened to you. Then, briefly describe the circumstances.
Maybe it happened right after a stimulating conversation, a great workout, an encounter with a piece of art. Or something else. It also doesn't matter what set you on fire. I know you know this feeling. It's universal and one of life's greatest gifts.
Now, a favor, please. After describing the experience, take some time to see if you remember doing anything immediately after to harness that energy. Think carefully. What did you do? Maybe you tried prolonging the moment somehow? How? Did you perhaps talk to someone about it? If yes, what specifically made you select the person you did? If no, why not? Did you imagine that holding onto it without sharing would help preserve the excitement? Did that work? In my experience, attempts to re-create moments like this are fruitless. However, that hasn't stopped me from searching for ways to harness jolts like these.
And that's why I'm curious to hear about the way this magic has touched you. Perhaps by re-living your experience and briefly living with the questions above, you might uncover some useful harnessing technique you can share. Maybe your story alone will inspire me to seek out what gave you that juice. Maybe someone reading your response to this post will gain a useful technique, an idea for an energizing experience, or both. What's the downside to sharing this kind of wealth?
Good morning, Pat. OK, so I may be going a bit off topic here - as I have done countless times previously so I am sure you're used to it by now - but the birth of my children changed me in ways I would have never thought possible. The marriages of my kids, becoming a grandfather (Pop Pop) are among the biggest. But those are easy ones and I am sure most, if not all, that have experienced any of them would say the same. More to your point, and probably those that stand out for me .. when I first took part in a staged production. The thrill of the involvement, the rehearsal process, dress rehearsals, and, finally, Opening Night !! I have to tell you that being in a show has excited me from the first time but there is no feeling in the world ( I imagine) than an Opening Night. And the task afterward is to maintain that feeling and energy for the remainder of the run. Not easy, not difficult, but always worth it. Always. And those experiences have helped me in so many ways in my, now former, professional life
ReplyDeleteBe well,
Bob
Bob; Thanks for the hat trick of comments today. Why am I not at all surprised to learn that your moments of being on fire have often been connected to your love of theatre? You are fortunate to have discovered that passion as early in life as you did and been able to have moments like I described in my post via your involvement in that medium.
DeleteThis is really interesting. I have experienced thrills many times in my life. I savor the memories but don't dwell upon them. I don't try to harness or maintain but continue on to the next thing. And at some point the magic happens again.
ReplyDeleteInes; Thanks for the comment. You are fortunate indeed to have had those thrills "...many times in your life." And although waiting for "...the magic to happen again" is wise, my search for ways to harness it - for better or worse - is a search I plan to continue.
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