The skill of zest
Wholebeing Domain: Positive Emotion
Zest: Fostering an eager interest and enjoyment in life.
Rediscovering a sense of aliveness
With all its emergencies and crises, life can feel heavy. The skill of zest is a refreshing anecdote to embrace life with enthusiasm and joy. It is the practice of maintaining a vibrant engagement with the world around you, approaching life with a spirit of adventure, curiosity, and wholehearted participation.
💡”Zest is among the 24 character strengths that positive psychologists have defined and studied as keys to living a happy and fulfilling life. Although the science of zest is still young, researchers are beginning to uncover evidence of how beneficial this intangible trait is. Below are four of those benefits (…).
Zest and happiness go together.
Zestful people are happier at work.
Kids with zest are less neurotic.
Zestful teachers are better at their jobs.”
–Greater Good Science Center, Four reasons to cultivate zest in life
Zest recognises that while you cannot always control your circumstances, you can choose how you relate to and engage with them. When you approach life with zest, you shift towards an energetic and positive mindset that has the power to transform even the most mundane moments into opportunities for learning, connection, and appreciation. You rediscover a sense of vitality and aliveness.
What does this mean for changemakers?
The skill of zest is nourishing for changemakers, especially when they feel overwhelmed, drained, and discouraged. By intentionally cultivating zest, you replenish your emotional energy and find renewed inspiration to engage with life’s challenges. You boost your resilience in the face of setbacks, you tap into more creative problem-solving, and you enhance your ability to engage and inspire others.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Practising zest doesn’t mean denying life’s difficulties or engaging in false optimism. Rather, it’s about consciously shifting your focus to what is interesting, meaningful, or growth-promoting in any given situation. It means taking responsibility for your own engagement and enjoyment and actively seeking out experiences that nourish your sense of vitality and wonder.
Zest is deeply linked to what makes your life meaningful, so being in touch with what truly matters to you helps you approach life with greater enthusiasm and joy. Trying out new experiences, seeking out beauty, and surrounding yourself with uplifting people are all examples of activities that nurture a zest for life.
How can you practise the skill of zest?
Here are a few practices to get you started:
Reflection
Take a moment to reflect on the following prompts and share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
💭 What is your relationship with zest? What people, places, or experiences most ignite your sense of eager engagement and enjoyment? How might cultivating more zest support you in your changemaking work?
⚠️ REMINDER: Zest is about embracing life with vitality, curiosity, and wholehearted participation. By learning to approach your experiences with an eager, adventurous spirit, you tap into a renewable source of energy, resilience, and joy that empowers you to engage with your work and life more fully and effectively.
This skill is connected to the Wholebeing Domain of Positive Emotion
Positive Emotion is the ability to see possibilities and take in the goodness. It involves becoming a possibilist for wholebeing. This includes skills such as gratitude and abundance.
Teaser 👀
The next post will introduce the skill of presence. In the meantime, as you engage with our wholebeing practices, share your commitments, insights, and experiences on your #WholebeingJourney in the comments section below.
Big hugs,
Alessia, Greta, and Tariq