Bruce Kasanoff* ponders his life-affirming experiences that have generated intense excitement and energy and wonders why he has not sought them more often.
Euphoria – the dictionary says it is a feeling of intense excitement and happiness.
It’s been a while since I experienced the euphoria of skiing down a mountain bowl in half a metre (or more) of powder snow.
That floating feeling — in some cases it is close to flying — is one of the things that make life worthwhile.
Unfortunately, when I think about the last time I had that feeling, no immediate answer pops into my head. That’s a problem.
Sure, watching the sunrise in Zion National Park in early December was pretty wonderful, but it was not euphoric.
Why does this matter?
Peak experiences are to fusion power as normal experiences are to fossil fuels; you can generate a lot more energy in your life by periodically seeking life-affirming experiences.
Over the past few weeks, I got vicarious pleasure by following on Instagram two local residents of my town, Rob Lea and Caroline Gleich (pictured), as they travelled to Antarctica to climb — and ski down — Mount Vinson, the continent’s highest peak at 4,892 metres.
When it comes to seeking euphoria, Caroline and Rob are much better than most people.
Shortly before getting married, they summited Mount Everest; then Rob swam across the English Channel and then biked across the United States.
What stops you from living like this?
Before you answer, please recognise that I don’t mean what stops you from going to Antarctica?
I mean what stops you from aggressively pursuing whatever elevates your body, heart and soul to the highest possible levels?
For most of us, the honest answer is probably pretty simple — inertia.
Maybe you have different ideas. I’d genuinely like to know.
*Bruce Kasanoff is the founder of The Journey, a newsletter for positive, uplifting and accomplished professionals. He is also an executive coach and social media ghostwriter for entrepreneurs. He can be contacted at kasanoff.com.
This article first appeared at kasanoff.com.
