Effervescence: Fueled by Gratitude

Note: This is a copy of the blog I submitted to the Hamilton HIVE network to promote the 2022 STEEL Conference.

This blog contains motivational elements that have the potential to impact mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. This is neither medical nor mental health advice. Always follow the advice of your licensed mental health professional before doing anything that might trigger you.

Let’s start by acknowledging the elephant in the room: a significant proportion of y’all had to Google the definition of “effervescence” before continuing.

If you did, you probably found this:

1. (of a liquid)giving off bubbles; fizzy. “an effervescent mixture of cheap wine, fruit flavors, sugar, and carbon dioxide”

2.vivacious and enthusiastic. “effervescent young people”

Now, I can’t talk about bubbles, but there’s something about being vivacious and enthusiastic that feels like a glass of cold, crisp water on a hot day right now during these troubled times.

Etymologically, the two building block words of “effervescence” (“vivacious” and “enthusiastic”) both contain references to being filled with “life” or the “life force”.

How do we stay effervescent in 2022 with all of this*gestures at everything* happening around us? As cheesy and bumper-stickery as this may sound, gratitude may indeed be the answer.