I used this prompt to look up a new word. A new word for me, at least. I’d always wondered what it meant; now I know. The word is “insouciant.” It means easy-going, gay, happy-go-lucky, and untroubled.
I want to be insouciant. It’s pronounced “in-soo-see-ant” if you’re wondering. I want to be carefree and not worried about anything. And I think I can be, if I really want to. How, you may ask, would someone with as many people relying on them as I have be insouciant?
I think the key (or one of them) is in not procrastinating. I find that if I put things off I end up with a whole ball of stress sitting with me at the end of the day – stress caused by all the things I need to do tomorrow because I did none of them today. It adds up and I end up worrying. And uninsouciant. According to my spellcheck that’s not a word… and neither is spellcheck. Go figure. But will I worry about that? Hell no!
How else can I be insouciant? I think just by deciding not to worry about things I can be a little more carefree. Not to say that I don’t consider my responsibilities important… but only concentrating on what’s in front of me rather than doing things I’m supposed to be doing AND worrying that I’m not doing something else – that’s senseless. In fact, by fully focusing on the task at hand, I’m more likely to be more efficient at it than if my mind is elsewhere.
So here’s to insouciance! Practice with me, won’t you?
This post is part of SoCS: https://lindaghill.com/2014/11/21/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-november-2214/
Badge by: Doobster at Mindful Digressions
And Nano Poblano:
And SoBloMoNo:
lindaghill.com 
November 24, 2014 at 10:33 pm
I think “insouciant” and the French “sans souci” are related, the latter meaning “carefree.” It is a great word; I’ve always thought it implied a slightly devil-may-care attitude.
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November 26, 2014 at 2:33 pm
It does kind of imply that, so there you go! 😀
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November 23, 2014 at 10:48 pm
Love it ?!!!Who invented this word was bored , inconsiderate, careless, selfish, thoughtless towards regular people like me :).
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November 24, 2014 at 9:33 pm
Aww c’mon, Adrian. It’s not that bad! 😉
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November 23, 2014 at 8:35 pm
I work on this every day. I’m pretty high-achieving during the daylight hours. When I go to sleep…err…not so much 😉
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November 23, 2014 at 9:46 pm
As long as it lets you sleep at night my dear. 😉
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November 24, 2014 at 12:12 am
That’s the point, I can’t always sleep at night. My insouciance fails me at bedtime. Worry must live in my pillow!
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November 24, 2014 at 9:32 pm
Bad pillow! Send it to its room!
…oh wait… 😛
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November 23, 2014 at 7:46 pm
Love the word insouciance. I’d seen it around before but thought it meant in-your-face or saucy. Thanks Linda!
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November 23, 2014 at 7:48 pm
oh, as and aside Linda, i just punbished a guest post over on Cordelia’s Mom. i’d be honored if you had the time to drop by ans take a read. http://cordeliasmomstill.com/2014/11/22/the-teens-guest-post-by-paul-curran/comment-page-1/#comment-6458 Thanks so much Linda.
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November 23, 2014 at 9:49 pm
You’re welcome, Paul 😀 I’ll check out your guest post too!
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November 23, 2014 at 5:23 pm
Thanks for this Linda! I’ve read this word before, and I think I’ve looked it up before too but forgotten about it till just now. I used to be very insouciant when I was young and healthy, not so much these days. It’s a good goal to have. And yes, “don’t worry, be happy” is a great philosophy, and to not procrastinate. That’s a hard one for me, not procrastinating. Another goal 🙂
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November 23, 2014 at 7:11 pm
Ah, so many goals, so little time, eh Mary? Just keep plugging away at them, and I will too. 🙂
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November 23, 2014 at 2:19 pm
Glad you let us know how to pronounce it! Good word, and one I think we’d all like to practice. Worrying adds not one minute more to our lives and you’re right abut procrastination, which I practice way too much. That does cause stress. I wonder how you do it though, (unprocrastinte…so sure that’s not a word in the dictionary either).Just seeing how much writing you’re doing each day with all the SOCs and the nano thingy wears me out! Love that you gave us a new word.
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November 23, 2014 at 7:10 pm
You’re welcome, Leigh. 🙂 I’m sure there are so many things we could do to make ourselves more insouciant. It’s just a matter of finding ways to put them into practice.
As for Nano and SoCS, I’m as worn out as you feel! Haha!
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November 23, 2014 at 1:08 pm
Love this one! Yes, I think I will follow John Howell’s lead and use it for an answer to the ubiquitous “How are you?” Could be interesting! Pas de souci 😉
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November 23, 2014 at 7:07 pm
You too! Let me know how it goes! 😀
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November 23, 2014 at 9:14 am
Think I need to rehearse using insouciant in a situation. How’s this, “how are you?” “Insouciant, thanks.” Could be a show stopper.
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November 23, 2014 at 7:06 pm
Haha! It’d be a showstopper all right. Let me know how it goes. 😀
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November 23, 2014 at 6:58 am
A nice word Linda 🙂 and I will sure try to be insouciant
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November 23, 2014 at 7:05 pm
It would be fantastic, wouldn’t it? 😀 Glad you liked it, KG. 🙂
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November 23, 2014 at 5:42 am
That sounds wonderful Linda. We can inspire one another along. 😀
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November 23, 2014 at 7:04 pm
Yes!! 😀
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November 23, 2014 at 4:08 am
There have been times in my life when I was under an overwhelming amount of stress. I found that I had to let go of things. Just focus of what absolutely had to be done that day and everything else, let go. I like the word. I have heard it but did not know what it meant either.
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November 23, 2014 at 7:04 pm
Letting go is hard, but it does work. 🙂 Happy to find something new for you, Deborah. 🙂
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November 23, 2014 at 3:59 am
I suppose the opposite might once have been souciant. Like inept. I’ve always hankered after being ept.
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November 23, 2014 at 7:03 pm
Souciant… nope, spellcheck doesn’t like that either. But what does spellcheck know? Haha. Being ept would certainly be a good thing. 🙂
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November 23, 2014 at 3:27 am
I always thought it meant innocent…….
Learned something new 😉
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November 23, 2014 at 7:01 pm
Yay! 😀 Me too!
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November 23, 2014 at 2:31 am
Insouciant is a lovely word: I’ve read it but never said it. Maybe I’ll try to work it into a conversation today 🙂
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November 23, 2014 at 7:01 pm
It is a lovely word! I’d seen it too but not remembered the context. 🙂
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November 23, 2014 at 1:18 am
New word for me too. Thanks for the vocabulary lesson! Also, I think you’ve got the key. Just focus on the now. Easier said than done though.
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November 23, 2014 at 7:00 pm
Oh so difficult indeed. But with lots of practice, it’s possible. 🙂 You’re welcome my dear. 😀
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November 22, 2014 at 10:48 pm
That truly is a great word, and one I’ve never heard before either. I think I’m going to make being easy-going, gay, happy-go-lucky, and untroubled — well, not being gay — my new life’s ambition. I’m going to strive to be the very definition of insouciant.
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November 22, 2014 at 11:08 pm
Go us!! 😀
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