In this chapter the students are asked to consider the concept of zest. What is it that enables
us to approach life with both excitement and energy? Why is this such an important way of
being? Clearly there are implications for our overall well-being here in that being zestful
and positive and excited about life in general certainly helps us to maintain both emotional
and mental well-being. It is vital that students understand this fact and can feel excited about
themselves, their lives and what is going on in the world around and want to engage in the
positive aspects of being.
Students are initially asked to identify the kinds of things that excite them in their life.
What is it that makes them want to become engaged and act in an authentic and highly
motivated way? Identifying key energisers and motivators is important in this process as
we need to know what actually induces these kinds of feelings and behaviours since clearly
this is something that we would all want more of in our lives. It is therefore important that
we know what our triggers and zest are so that we can then surround ourselves with such
triggers and avoid those that produce the opposite kinds of feelings and behaviours. These
are the kinds of bad habits that we need to use our energy on in order to eradicate them from
our lives.
Consequently, the students are asked to engage in identifying bad habits that they want
to dump and to record small steps in the process of achieving such a goal. There is finally
opportunity to identify a specific challenge and to maintain and further develop the zest and
motivation to achieve this challenge without giving up.