What is inspiring you at the moment?
As I write to you today, I am drawn to the topic of inspiration having come through a rough 2 months. Last time I shared how I was processing the death of my mother in the article When grief is a teacher: lessons from loss. Today I want to invite you to think a bit about inspiration and connect with what it is that inspires you now.
I don’t know about you, but I find it helpful to consciously pay attention to what inspires me. When I do, I am almost always reminded that alongside much that causes pain, I am mostly able to experience a movement of energy that shifts me beyond my immediate concerns, challenges, and self-focus. This movement for me is inspiration!
Sliced Citrus Fruit on a Board Edgar Castrejon Unsplash
Funny enough, on investigating further, I learnt that the root of the word inspiration is the Latin “spirare” meaning “to breathe”. This conveys the breath of fresh air that inspiration brings, without which it is very hard to do anything with heart and soul. In fact, through my 'regular’ writing routine this year, I have discovered that for me to write I must feel an emotional connection to the topic, a spark of excitement that goes beyond information and intellect.
Application is required to access the inspiration - it is not like a magic wand that descends whenever I wave it. It is quite a scrappy process that I need to work at - clear space, create a focus, reflect, think, read, and then just start somewhere and allow the faint whisperings of inspiration to emerge from the messiness. This can take a few false starts. Perseverance and confidence in the process usually yields some fruit, juicy and ripe at times and promising but not quite ripe at other times. The point though is that there is always some fruit from the labour of choosing to access and channel inspiration when writing or creating.
It occurred to me that this is true in life as well. Whilst it can be hard sometimes to find inspiration during a challenging personal time, it is always there if we pay attention to where the inspiration might be lurking.
If you feel you need a spark of energy, a bit of life breathed into you, take a few minutes to think about what you find inspiring right now. If this is hard, ask your family and close friends and see whether this creates a spark.
Here are some ideas that might help:
the beauty of the natural world
stories shared online or in books other people, especially those that show resilience in the face of challenges - plenty of these given our times
music that moves you or dance that has you moving
the voices and laughter of young children
poetry
the art gallery
fresh fragrances
beautifully written classic novels Best Classic Books
biographies, memoirs and autobiographies of interesting and successful people Best Biographies
I would love from you about what is breathing life into you at the moment. Reply to me here.
I thought I would end by sharing one thing that has been inspiring me:
Master Chef Australia - the awesome judges, incredible contestants, talented guest chefs and the superb food, the ethos of excellence, collaboration and kindness that finds its place amidst fierce competition and pressure to perform.
Next time I plan to share some interesting research on inspirational leadership that I hope will challenge your traditional and normative ideas about what is required of leaders to move be viewed as inspirational. I also share insights into leaders who are considered inspirational by their followers.