Mary Marcdante, author of Living with Enthusiasm, helped WellSpan Health introduce the WellSpan Adams Health Center to Adams County residents (top photo). Gettysburg Hospital President Kevin Mosser, M.D., (right) discussed some of the details of the center, while Mike and Jeannette Wallet (left) shared how they benefited from the Adams County Cancer Patient Help Fund.

Mary Marcdante says everyone has a choice to make about their attitude every morning. So, why not choose to be enthusiastic?

Marcdante, author of Living with Enthusiasm, addressed nearly 200 people at the Majestic Theater in Gettysburg on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

She was part of a program that helped WellSpan introduce the WellSpan Adams Health Center to residents of Adams County.

Marcdante told the audience that enthusiasm is at the core of all success.

Whether you're hoping to achieve a big dream, heal your body, find peace of mind or push for a promotion, enthusiasm can help.

Marcdante offered the audience seven strategies for living with enthusiasm. 

They are:

• Know what's important.  Take time to identify the values that are most important to you.  Share them with the people you love.  As you discover, talk about and act from your values, you unleash your enthusiasm.
• Choose your path.  Every choice adds to your enthusiasm bank account or drains it.  Your life is the sum total of your choices.  What are you choosing to think and do right now?
• Renew your spirit.  You can accomplish this by replenishing your energy so that regardless of what is going on in your life, you can greet the day with a welcoming smile, an enthusiastic heart, a vibrant body and a fresh, open mind.
• Take action on your dreams.  Anything is possible if you hold your vision, commit to it, and let the Universe help you one step at a time.  Consider this quote from Goethe," Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.  Begin it now!"
• Appreciate yourself.  List four strengths, characteristics, qualities or talents that you appreciate in yourself.  Read the list out loud to yourself every day, saying, "I acknowledge and value my..." until you have it memorized.
• Nurture your support systems.  People feel happier when they feel cared for.  Therapists tell us that we need a minimum of five good friends in our lives to stay healthy. If you don't have five friends in your network, work to develop them.
• Let go and live in the moment.  Each time we let go of the past, we experience loss along with its requisite emotions, felt or unfelt.  More often these emotions are painful, but sometimes joy and relief also emerge.

For more information on Mary Marcdante's book,
go to www.marymarcdante.com.