I love the feeling of inspiration. It is a combination of awe and excitement and hope and it is one of my favorite ways to feel!
I remember attending a Celtic dance performance years ago. At the time I was in a creative slump in my life. I hadn't been in a choir in several years, I wasn't writing outside of work, and I seldom even took time to play the piano just for my enjoyment. But sitting, watching a stage full of women and men do something they loved and do it so well sparked a surge of inspiration within me and fueled a desire to dust off some talents and do something creative, even if it would never come close to the level of perfected talents I had just witnessed.
I also LOVE watching my kids do sports, but especially run cross country. I have seen so, so many kids give their race their all. There is something in their eyes that you can see when they are putting everything they have into their race. When I see it I find it incredibly moving.
Recently I have had the opportunity to watch through Facebook as a good friend of mine has followed her dream and built a palates studio. I have talked to her about the dream years ago and then watched as she found a space and worked through renovations and now has built a beautiful space and an amazing community. It has been amazing to see this dream come to be.
What do all of these experiences have in common (other than making me feel all mushy)?
One of the things that sparks inspiration is a challenge or something hard. Another piece of the story is passion. I have also discovered that there is no minimum requirement for something to be inspiring, but often times it reveals hard work, perseverance, and persistence.
So, there are two things to talk about here.
The first is what are you consuming in your life that inspires you? Are you watching people give everything in pursuit of their goals? Or are you just consuming media and entertainment? Are you putting yourself in places where you can be inspired? Or are you doing the ordinary?
The second thing is what are you going to do when you are inspired? Are you going to try something new or in a different way? What have you been holding back on that would benefit from a bit of that feeling of inspiration? And where can you go to feel more inspired?
Let's all look around for stories of inspiration in the world and then create our own stories to serve as inspiration for those around us.