I was interested to learn that the French don't have a word for being excited. (While "je suis excitée" exists as a phrase, it means something entirely different than you might think. I'll let Google break that one down for you.)
At first, I was very sad for the French to hear this. After all, I couldn't imagine not being excited about all sorts of things. But the longer I meditated on the word, the stranger it seemed that so much of my time had been spent fixating on some future happening rather than taking in the present moment.
I worked with a client once who was always thinking about the future. She frequently referenced an upcoming event, and it was clear that she had tied quite a bit of emotion to that date. In a way, it made sense. Developing the event was the primary focus of her job. Yet, as she obsessed about the future, I often saw her missing the beauty that was right in front of her: these incredible moments of critical thinking, innovation, and creativity.
One day, I just had to stop her. "What you're doing right now is really amazing." She looked up at me, bewildered.
When I look back at myself as an early manager, I'm somewhat amused at my forward gaze. I'd create these very detailed plans that laid out when and how my team would celebrate. The celebrations were usually set to occur at the end of particular projects or initiatives- you know, the moments to get really excited about. And that seemed like such a given: You finish the thing, you celebrate. You hit a goal, you celebrate.
But now, as a 35 year old who has somehow dodged virtually all the major milestones (outside of completing formal education) that result in parties and balloons, I've learned the power in re-evaluating what is significant and worthy of celebration. And I've challenged myself to reel in that forward gaze and take a look at what's right in front of me.
Last weekend, I was thinking about being a little over a month out from my show "Ingrid." I reflected on the years of learning... my amazing cast... the incredible partnership I have with my co-director... And so I celebrated! I went to the grocery store with the specific aim to buy what looked really beautiful that day. I cooked for several hours. I burned a candle.
Being a month out from the end was an accomplishment. The moment wasn't something to get excited about; it was just there.
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