Archive for ‘Inspiring Others’

March 29th, 2012

When Everything Stops

When I first started blogging, I had an unlimited source of energy and enthusiasm. I flocked to people who took BIG risks in their lives, overcame seemingly impossible obstacles and became successful because of it. My excitement over finding them was much greater than my fear of contacting them. And so I did.

That’s how I was able to eventually get interviews with authors, Olympians and bloggers I admired from afar. I never in a million years thought that they’d take the time to answer my questions to be on this little blog.

But I have to say that in the few years that I’ve been blogging, the passion has waned a bit. I am still drawn to inspiring people and feel a surge of adrenaline when I read or watching something that inspires me. But I would be lying if I didn’t say I’ve lost that loving feeling.

With my daily blog over at Beliefnet Health and my online column for The Writer magazine, I sometimes feel like a dried out sponge.

So I’m turning to you…

I know a lot of you who read this blog (and I’m so grateful for you that do) are also bloggers yourself. How do you keep the loving feeling going? What do you do to help juggle blogging and/or job, and your life? Do you have any blogs that you read that help lift you up? 

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February 28th, 2012

What’s Vital to the Success of Your Dreams

Every day a million dreams are dispersed around the world. I like to think of them as seeds awaiting their potential, having faith in nothing, but the wind to carry them far and love to embed them deep.

Think of a dandelion with all of its individual seeds. If it sits safe, it will never grow. Taking that risk and flying in the wind it could be eaten, it could disintegrate. But if it never left, it would perish anyway.

This weekend I went to a Buddhist Retreat where I remembered the price we pay when we forget to breathe.

In an attempt to make something of your life, you work against time, you fight your competition, you struggle with any obstacle that confronts your path. But at what cost?

How many times have I made that mistake? How many times have I forgotten and had to be reminded that the price I pay for overworking myself isn’t worth the sacrifice?

It’s one thing to work hard towards your goal. It is quite another to work hard regardless of your health, your relationships, your livelihood. I must continually remind myself that I am only responsible for myself, that the only goal in my life is to be happy, that my life will not be more meaningful based on the job I have, the house I don’t own, the book I didn’t finish yet. But how much I’ve given to others and most importantly myself.

Right now you may be throwing yourself in your latest endeavor. And you are proud of what you’ve accomplished and excited about the prospect of finishing it. And that’s good. We all need dreams. But remember that the risk of not doing, the risk of having faith that the wind will carry you through is also necessary.

It’s not just all that you do, but it’s giving yourself time to not do that is important.

You will never finish that book or complete that daunting task unless you put away that computer, turn off that phone and sit and be for awhile. So do it. Do it and be comforted in knowing that your life will be waiting for you when you return.

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December 14th, 2010

Christmas Gifts to Inspire Others, Pt. 2

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This post is a continuation of yesterday’s post on 5 Gifts to Inspire Others…

3. Surprise.

Have someone in your life who infuriates you? Or in my case, has a driver cut you off in traffic and gave you the gift of his middle finger?

Instead of the usual reaction, why not give the gift of the unexpected response?

It will be difficult to change your reaction automatically and it takes some time to do so, but it’s worth it.

How about, for example, agreeing with the relative who always wants to argue or saying something kind to the person expecting you to fire back? It worked for me as I decided to smile and laugh about the angry fella who thought a finger could ruin my day. Diffusing anger with kindness is a well-worthy gift if not for them, for your sake.

4. Peace (and quiet).

I went to Point Reyes twice this year, once for my birthday and a second time just because. It was a far drive and an expensive retreat, but well-worth it. I hope you can take the time to give yourself this same gift.

While everyone takes a vacation, not everyone goes on retreat. But let me tell you what a difference the two make. Vacations are wonderful for relaxing, for seeing the sights for seeing the world in a new light. But while you come back with memories and souvenirs on vacation, you return with lifelong gifts while on retreat.

Sitting in quiet where you can only hear the sound of your breath or footsteps on a creaking floor or the sounds of the wind whistling through the leaves of an old tree, are like cashmere for your soul. Everyone needs a place to go where they have the space and energy to hear nothing, but their voice. Go there and you will come back with enough fuel and positive experience to inspire others.

5. Generosity.

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My husband has a tremendous heart. But I often joke that he is stingy with his words (as in he’s too quiet sometimes). This being said by a fellow introvert. But joking aside, I do think this is the season for giving. And while #1-4 are all about giving, this I believe, is the number one gift you should give this holiday-to yourself and others.

Generosity is a huge gift and there are a myriad of ways you can give it to others. Besides donating time (volunteering) and money (donations), you can give the gift of compassion, empathy, love and friendship. This means really REALLY listening to your loved ones when they tell you and show you how they feel. This means NOT brushing them away with a, “Oh you’ll be fine!” or “Cheer up!” when their upset. This means being present and offering up yourself in really empathizing and being there for them. Isn’t that a gift they deserve for being gracious enough to let us in?

It’s so easy in this day and age to be attached to our digital toys and ignore the people we love the most (ourselves included!). But it’s that much more important to turn them off and turn on who we are and be as present and open as we can.

Being generous by giving of ourselves is a profound gift we can give. It can change lives. It can determine your children’s future. It can alter the future of our whole world.

Isn’t that what we want the most for our kids and for everyone?

Let’s remember this before we bemoaned our financial inability to buy the most expensive and impressive gifts. I hope this will be an opportunity for all of us to rise to the occasion and better our lives and situations for each other.

Happy Holidays!

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December 13th, 2010

5 Gifts to Inspire Others, Pt. 1

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This may not be the post you think it is.

There are a ton of blog posts now on what to get for a __________ (golfer, writer, mother, the person who has everything, etc.). But while those are all great and in good fun, I think it’s important to take this time to focus on something deeper.

Don’t you?

There are gifts that may not be shiny and new, but can have lasting value on one’s soul and can have a ripple effect on the lives of others.

With that being said, I thought it would behoove me to create a post for you unlike the rest of the crowd, that reminds us about the importance of what this season really represents-a time of gratitude, miracle, hope and giving.

A Christmas List to Inspire

1. Time.

I’m not talking about Gucci and Fossil. I’m talking about that precious, irreplaceable gift that can change someone’s life.

As a freelance writer, I know my time = money. If I’m spending it browsing stores online, I’m doing a disservice to my business. That’s time that I cannot invoice or exchange for an indirect path to money like marketing.

It’s like that, but maybe a million times more important to consider the precious time you have on this earth and who you want to spend it with.

Take one day in your life and then get a stop watch and time how much of your day is spent on the computer, TV, working vs. how much time you are spending with your loved ones. The number may surprise you.

Think about it this way. As a child, the one gift I wanted more than anything, wasn’t a new Barbie, a new outfit or a book, it was time spent with my mother.

2. Gratitude.

I’m guilty of not regifting this gift. Are you?

There are moments in my day when I think about my husband, for example. I think about how much he does for me and how much I appreciate him. Then time passes, I see dishes in the sink, and the gratitude? Like our leftovers, it goes down the drain.

If you want to give someone a gift that will last forever, thank them, thank yourself. Write down every moment, even seemingly insignificant ones, and you will be giving a gift of gratitude to yourself. Write it down in a card or tell someone you know and you will be doing both you and your loved ones a favor.

To be continued… Stay tuned for part 2 with gifts 3-5 here tomorrow.

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November 22nd, 2010

4 Features of Inspirational Writing in the Eyes of Two Young House Lovers

People are often turned off by “inspirational writing.” They take one look at writing on inspiring others and make the assumption that it’s all about religion.

But, it’s not.

As my elementary school teacher taught us, “To assume, makes an ass out of you and me.”

Inspiring writing can be religion oriented, but it doesn’t have to be.

What it is today is writing that can inspire action or positive change. It can also be about spirituality, anything from the new-age standpoint or simply writing that’s impassioned by your dreams and goals.

How many blogs/articles have you read that talked about something that inspired you, but had nothing to do with religion?

I’m a big fan of home decor blogs and Young House Love is one of my favorites. They never talk about religion or spirituality, but they are inspirational (as their thousands of commenters attest to every day).

1. Living the Dream. They are inspiring because they are living the dream that most of us wouldn’t dare to-doing something they love and making money for it. They work as full-time bloggers writing blogs on designing up their own home as well as others DIY themselves and for affordable prices.

2. Being down to earth. This may not be a mandatory feature of inspiring others. But being relatable definitely helps. People want to read what you write and imagine themselves in your shoes. And when they do, they feel inspired to do amazing things. In general, it’s their humility and humble nature that makes us think that anyone can do what they’re doing (even non-DIYers) and inspires them to be just as great. That to me, is inspiring!

3. Taking big risks. I’m always impressed by how far these two young house lovers go. They never rest too long in their laurels. Although they were successful with their first house, they didn’t just stop there. They sold it and got a new one. This may not sound risky to you. But imagine if your home was your biggest investment-both in time and money and was THE primary source of your income. Would you risk selling it? Would you risk not to?

4. Positivity is catchy. No matter what goes on in their life, John and Sherry are positive peeps and positive posters. This means failed DIY projects, a missed opportunity on The Oprah Show and a cease and desist letter didn’t get them down. And there were no negative angry posts either. People who are positive may not inspire great outbursts and picketing peeps. Then again it might. Their huge fan base were upset enough to back up their favorite DIY duo. If it is anything, inspirational writing is positive. Providing a good example for your readers is what may inspire them to become more positive in their own life.

These are just four ways you can inspire others. By being positive in the words you use, how you approach challenges in your life, taking big risks that others want to aspire to, living the life of your dreams and being humble are some ways you can inspire others with your words. Are there others?

Have you read anything lately that really inspired you? I really want to know. Please share them below.

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November 9th, 2010

Trying to Inspire Others? Look Within

I’ve always been obsessed with inspiring people. Hence, this blog and the ones before it. It’s why I seek out inspirational people for interviews, why I can’t stop reading inspiring books and the reason for my Twitter name @2inspired and Facebook page. You can say it’s my passion. I live to be inspired by others.

But in my quest to be inspired, I’d never expect to be an inspiration to others.

Well, sure I want to inspire others to change. But like this famous couple said, they live an “inspired life” versus an “inspiring one.”

It’s a subtle, but meaningful difference. It’s not just about being humble and sincere. But the belief that we’re just ordinary people, with extraordinary lives or something along those lines.

I feel the same exact way. There’s nothing really inspiring about me. Or is there?

It’s a question I’ve been contemplating lately after I got an email from someone who wanted to interview me. After passing it off as spam (because why would anyone want to talk with me about being inspiring?) a second email finally hit me. It’s real!

It reminded me of a friend who once told me I didn’t realize how inspiring I was and that there were people who wished they had my life. It got me thinking:

HOW MANY OF YOU ARE OUT THERE DOING THE SAME THING?

You’re afraid of taking a leap and falling heart first into your dreams. And what’s keeping you from doing so is that you don’t truly believe you have anything unique to offer the world. So you give your business half-ass attention instead of a kick-ass one.

Symptom:

You get stuck on a certain project your working on. You can’t finish your about us page or you give up on applying for a job you really really want. You have a business, but you can’t seem to inspire others to take the steps toward a call to action.

Solution:

Imagine you are the person who inspires you most. If you’re a writer, write a bio for your client (yourself). If you’re an artist, create something hero worthy. As a teenager when test anxiety hit, I’d pretend I was someone really smart and confident and then I’d ace the test. See yourself the way you see the people you admire most and you may discover your own inspiration within yourself.

For me to do the interview (which I am doing and will give you the details soon!), I needed to step outside my own situation and remember who I was and where I came from. When we get too caught up in where we have yet to travel, instead of where we have already been, we lose sight of the valuable lessons along the way.

I’m constantly surprised when the writer’s group that I started generously commends me for the writing that I have had published. I could easily and have pushed those compliments aside. After all, I have so much more I need to do and am far from my writing goals. But then I remember how far I have come in a year and in my lifetime and then I can embrace where I have been and have compassion for all those who are attempting to travel on that same road.

Like you. Are you there too?  Look within for the answers.

Hi there! Glad you stopped by!

You’ve found one of my blogs on everything inspiring.  I also have one on writing and freelancing tips for new writers and entrepreneurs here. If you are in search of a writer to get all of your words in order, I’d love to work with you!

I am a published writer, blogger, and copywriter that can help you with all of your writing needs. You can find out more about me here.

You can also sign up for my RSS feed, join in the conversation on Facebook or tweet me @2inspired. I’d love to hear from you! Thanks for finding me!

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October 28th, 2010

Inspiration Through Compassion

Compassion. It’s a word in need of our attention these days. Politics. Fighting. Misunderstanding. It’s enough to make one scream,”Can’t we all just get along?”

It’s something easily neglected, but so important to not just getting along, but to understanding ourselves, living a more peaceful life and also creating a business that is inspiring and radiates hope.

And isn’t that something worth aspiring too?

This year has tested my ability to be compassionate in a multitude of ways. It’s something that tests me whenever I feel a spark of anger, when I am annoyed or when I feel misunderstood.

It’s a tool that has helped me to pause, release any harboring negative emotions and to put me in the shoes of another person.

It was evident in a woman who scratched my car a few weeks ago. Her kindness, empathy, honesty and sincerity, led to my own compassion for her situation. She made it easy for me to be understanding because she was so kind.

Although compassion has prevented me from misunderstanding and reacting, compassion isn’t anything new. It isn’t new age-y or magical. But it can create magical, miraculous results.

If every time we meet an obstacle in our path and misunderstanding ensues and we can stop and put ourselves in the perspective of our clients, friends, family members, acquaintances and even strangers, how much richer would our lives be?

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