Who Inspires You? | The Dreaming Cafe

Who Inspires You?
(This article was first published in The Dreaming Cafe’s weekly newsletter, Issue 24, June 28, 2009

More than anyone or anything else in this world, children inspire me.

Think about it.

Being born isn’t easy. Teething isn’t easy. Learning to walk isn’t easy. Learning to talk isn’t easy. Navigating that first Cheerio into an open and waiting mouth isn’t easy. Losing your teeth isn’t easy. The first day of pre-school, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school…is not easy. Learning to make friends and losing friends isn’t easy. Growing up isn’t easy at all.

But, watching children, my nieces and nephews, and children I see every day in the store and on the street, inspire me.

They inspire me because they just keeping growing and learning. They cry when they are hurt and they tell you when they are mad or sad. They express themselves with abandon. They are resilient and resourceful. They ask questions and try new things. They work hard, play hard and love with an openness that can brings tears to my eyes.

Children live life. Children of all ages everywhere inspire me every day.

Who or what else inspires me? And, why?

My husband inspires with his loving and gentle heart.
My sister and brother inspire me by the depth of love and devotion to their families they exhibit every day in words and in actions.
My Mom inspires me by her ability to forgive.
My Dad, although gone, still inspires me by his courage.
My friends inspire by their words and their actions, their strength of character, generosity, honesty and integrity.
Flowers inspire me with their beauty.
Birds inspire me by their freedom.
Books inspire me with words, ideas and stories – they open my heart and mind to new ideas, people and places I’ve never seen, and push me to grow and learn.

Who or what inspires you? Why?

Look around you, then close your eyes and take a deep, cleansing, calming breath. Now, open your eyes and ask yourself again, “Who or what inspires me, and why?”

This is a great exercise to do when you are feeling down, when you are feeling like things are too difficult, that maybe life is too hard, or when you are just feeling off-center and a little unsettled. It will help bring things back into perspective.

It’s also a great way to kick start the day.

And, one more thing…ask yourself, are you inspiring? Do you take the time to encourage others, to smile, to say thank you? Do you speak and act in ways to inspire others?

It’s not the big things we do, it is the little things. Move through the world like you matter and treat everyone you meet like they do, too. We never know how our words and actions will affect others. I would rather have no affect than a negative one. I would never want to hurt someone intentionally, let alone, unintentionally.

If we treat ourselves with love and respect and treat others in kind, then maybe, just maybe, we, too, will have a positive affect on others; maybe we will inspire one other person today.

Ask yourself again, who inspires you and who do you inspire?

Want to share your thoughts, ideas, comments, or story?

Email me: Sandy@TheDreamingCafe.com