Why Is My Stress Rubbing Off on Everyone Around Me (And What Can I Do About It)?

Last week was our Holiday Bible Club, the UK version of Vacation Bible School. I had the privilege of teaching every day, and I spent a week with a few wiggly, wonderful children. Afterwards, several adults told me how amazed they were at how well I kept the kids engaged. They also said they had learned something themselves from the lessons. One gentleman summed it up: "It's like your energy and passion were contagious."

He was right. When you teach, especially children, your excitement is catching. If you want your audience excited about what you're saying, you have to be excited about it. Five-year-olds can smell fake enthusiasm from across the building. I taught Kindergarten for nine years, and trust me, they will tell you when you're boring…usually by wandering off to lick something.

Because I was teaching the Bible, my enthusiasm came naturally, and it spilled right over onto my little audience.

Unfortunately, enthusiasm wasn't the only thing spreading that month.