Liz’s Listicles: How To Fake Enthusiasm in January 2021

Liz Barrett is a New-York based stand-up comedian and writer. Raised in a military family and having moved all around the world, Liz is deadpan, dry, engaging, and offers shrewd observations about life and womanhood.  You’ll remember her one-liners long after you see her.   Liz has appeared on AXS TV Gotham Comedy LiveLaughs on FOXLifetimeFunny or Die and New York Post Videos. You can also hear her on Raw Dog Comedy on SiriusXM.     Since 2013, Liz has produced her own monthly show Grin and Barrett which has been described as “puntastically named” and “one of the best shows in the city produced by a female comedian.” Liz’s Listicles will appear on theinterrobang.com monthly.  Follow Liz on Twitter @LizComedy and on Instagram @LizComedy.

Are you just trying to make it through these days? Are you just hanging on and ready to fall out of the hammock, which is life? Are you tired of feeling like you need to be perfect? Comedian Liz Barrett is here to help. Each month, comedian Liz Barrett (Sirius XM, Gotham Comedy Live) will provide tips on how you can cut yourself some slack. With her tips, you will not be living your best life, but a perfectly fine life.
This month Liz’s Listicles talks about marriage during the pandemic.

This Month: Liz’s Listicles Shares How To Fake Enthusiasm


Let me be blunt, we all put a lot of hope into 2021, and it’s just letting us down so far. The winter isn’t helping either. I was so bored, I looked up the word enthusiasm, and it means “intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.” So exactly the opposite of how we all felt about 2020, and now 2021. It’s hard to be enthusiastic about anything. I know I need to get out of the apartment every day, but who could be eager about another walk to nowhere? I can’t take it anymore. No one has ever called me a peppy person, but I do usually enjoy life more than this, so I’ve come up with a few tricks to fake some enthusiasm so I can get through these endless days. I call it “fenthusiasm.” I’m here to tell you those tips.

How to Fake Enthusiasm


Give yourself a high five after anything you do. You showered? Amazing. Answered emails? Wow. Ate those week-old leftovers and didn’t order out? You go, girl. High five!


Start adding words like “awesome, great, interesting” to your vocabulary. If you’ve heard your spouse’s cross-country road trip story for the 40th time since quarantine, just listen one more time, nod your head and say, “Oh really? A flat tire in Idaho? Fascinating. Woot, woot,” and say it like you mean it. You’ll shock your spouse and practice your acting skills all at the same time.


Yell. This might not go well if you live with anyone, but yelling anything makes it more exciting. For instance, “let’s do the dishes for the fifth time today” sounds annoying if you just say it, but if you say it loudly, it suddenly sounds like an adventure.


Celebrate the little victories. Did you fold the laundry? Vacuum? Put on a decent shirt even though you don’t have a Zoom? In 2021, these are basically the equivalent of getting a PhD. It’s pretty impressive. Pop the champagne or the Schlitz. Celebrate it. 


Get out of bed. I’ve done a poll of roughly five friends, and everyone agreed that getting out of bed is overrated, and usually unnecessary, during this pandemic. We could all just stay in bed, get our meals delivered, and not miss much. Wake us up when it’s all over. So if you are brave enough to get out of bed and face the world, you have kept hope alive. This simple act counts as enthusiasm for life.


Sing. Again, roommates might not like this one, but singing is lively. For example, singing “I’m brushing my teeth and changing my clothes. Yeah!” to any tune you want is the epitome of faking it. 


Keep telling yourself that you’re doing great. You know when someone gives a terrible, moronic response on “Family Feud” and the rest of the family says, “Good answer, good answer!”? Be like that, but for your own answers. No matter what you’re doing or not doing, if you are keeping it together one more day, that’s all that counts. Good answer!


Block out a few minutes a day to weep or scream. Now hear me out, this may not seem like you’re being enthusiastic by doing this, but you are. You’re getting your emotions out, and then have time to fake enthusiasm for another walk. 


Keep candy around and eat it. Chocolate really does make you feel better. There will be plenty of time to eat healthy after this pandemic is over. Right now, psych yourself up by emptying that bowl full of Christmas candy.


Save up your enthusiasm for another day. February is always rough, but I do believe February 2021 might be the worst ever. Good news is, it’s not a leap year so it’s only 28 days of soul-grinding misery. If you just can’t have any zeal for the month, save it up. Just muscle through, and save up your pep for…wait for it… March! Woo-hoo! Spring technically arrives, there’s St. Patrick’s Day, and we’re one month closer to being able to see our friends and family, go to restaurants, and attend concerts. It will be so sweet, and then after a few weeks we’ll remember people are annoying, and be happy to be back at home again.

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