Sharing Inspiration – Real Life Stories
There are two great reasons to share what inspires you:
1. You will be inspired by telling others
2. You will inspire some of the people you tell
I recently invited my newsletter readers to send me some of their inspirations so I could share them more widely. That’s because it shows both the wide variety of what inspires people and the common themes where we all benefit.
So, with a big thank you to all those who accepted the invite, here is a selection of what inspires them.
Delyth wrote “for me it’s getting to the top of that hill or mountain and looking at the wonderful views of the countryside and feeling that mixture of wonder that something so beautiful exists in the first place and that in the second place I can enjoy it when I want and share it. with good friends and my children.
When, like Delyth, we know what inspires us, we can choose to do it more often. Also keep in mind that sharing, with friends, family and even colleagues, can enhance the inspiring experience for us.
Jon prefaced his response with “It was a fantastic start to the day being asked this question”, pointing to the fact that when we look back on an inspiring experience, we are inspired all over again!
Jon went on to nominate his Top 10 Inspirational Things from the previous week:
1. Seeing the weather so beautiful showing the countryside we live and drive in at its best
2. Watch the Secret Millionaire show and see ordinary people doing extraordinary things
3. Hearing the birdsong so clearly and so loudly carrying their message to all who stop and listen
4. Seeing a little boy smile with pure innocence despite all the darkness and doom around us.
5. Take just a few minutes to stop and realize how amazing the world is and how wonderful we all are as miracles of life.
6. Listening to the geneticist we went to see yesterday talk about what is possible now with the amazing advances in science.
7. Read what a wonderful man who dedicated his life to naturopathy, osteopathy and helping people with their health meant to his friends and to all those whose lives he touched after his death.
8. The nature of friends who, despite the problems they are struggling with, have time to communicate with you.
9. A surprise call from a friend I hadn’t spoken to for almost a year that lifted my spirits.
10. The photo of my dad taking care of me when I was 5 or 6 years old that is next to my desk
As you read Jon’s list, you can catch his sense of gratitude for all these inspiring things. Maintaining an attitude of gratitude keeps us more open to new moments of inspiration.
Staying open to future inspiration is at the root of Peter’s story. He says that “the first two things I thought inspired me had something in common: both times I didn’t expect to be inspired.”
Peter goes on to explain that some time ago he took a short break in Edinburgh. Although he had no particular interest in the famous Military Tattoo, he followed it anyway and was completely amazed: “That tattoo was inspiring. TV coverage can only capture images and sound. There is so much more in the atmosphere and sharing on a community”. spirit with people you don’t even know and will never meet again.
An occasion like this can stay with us for many years to come and show how enduring an inspiring memory can be. Each inspiring experience is an investment in the future that we can draw on later when we choose.
Peter’s second example is from the last recession. “I saw a new incumbent at a time when we had no openings. I asked him [ ] How did you come to work with us? He replied that he personally called all the job sites he found and eventually we gave him a start. I found this attitude inspiring because when everyone else had given up hope of finding a job, he did more.”
Many of us are inspired by stories of people who succeed in adversity. These people can be role models for us. What qualities do they show that we can copy?
Kate mentions one of her role models: “People like David Whyte inspire me especially, with his strength of voice, ideas and living his truth.”
She sent an email just before heading out for a walk around her local lake. Knowing that this inspires her, she is able to ‘repeat when necessary’. She is a great gardener, so the flowers are also an inspiration.
Kate Burton is a published author and also has a great blog where she writes about what inspires her at http://www.turquoisemoments.blogspot.com/
With his example, we return to the starting point: sharing what inspires us. When you do this, see what a difference it will make!