This is INSPIRATION Day- the first component of I.G.N.I.T.E. week! Call it the beginning of a new life chapter, a fire in its early stages, the birth of anything and everything you desire. We can’t do or create anything without it. That, my friends, is why it is first in this series/program. If you were my coaching client, I would first ask you to describe in detail what inspires you, what gets you all goose bumpy and excited to do something new or even a little scary. So, we’ll just say you all are my mini-clients…
What inspires you, executive, homemaker, artist, teacher, banker, cashier, nanny, writer, mother, wife, daughter, entrepreneur, dancer, coach, unemployed, doctor, nurse, student, woman? What makes you dream about expanding, pushing, and growing into the woman you know you can be? What is your cell waiting to divide?
More simply put, where is your heart? I walked through Meijer this evening and saw a home decor plaque that said,
“If you want to know where your heart is look where your mind goes when it wanders.”
I don’t usually get inspired at the grocery store, but the simple statement really struck a chord in me. If that saying is true, then it means we think about our passions and dreams all the time. And the fact that it happens without pressure or arm-twisting from us or anyone makes it amazing. So, I don’t believe those ladies who say they don’t have time to think about their dreams and futures. What they are really saying is they won’t allow themselves to follow their hearts past the wandering mind to the place of action and manifestation. After all, it’s easy to just think about something but not so much to act on those thoughts.
Though acting on a thought or inspiration may come easy to some, it’s not the norm. If it was I wouldn’t be a life coach. I would find some other practical (and needed) occupation to fill my time. But since there are literally millions of women out there with action issues, I can keep my job.
Allow me to clarify something about inspiration. It’s a little more (or a lot more) than just an idea. Ideas come and go all the time, as do simple thoughts. Inspired ideas, on the other hand, have a certain charisma about them, a supercharged ideal, a shot of adrenaline for your soul. they are laced with the belief that we can act on them. I think you know the difference. Right? Hope so. If not, don’t worry. You will get there. This is a good starting place.
What if I don’t have any inspiration?
Well, you are not alone. Many women get overwhelmed by life and responsibilities, only to watch dreams and inspirations fall away. It’s not that you lack inspiration, it’s that you are not allowing yourself to see it. It’s there. Really. It’s time to get quiet and listen to your heart. Take a walk in a museum. Read a great novel. Talk with your best friend or old mentor. Journal about a time when you felt really happy and fulfilled. All of these things should help to bring back some inspiration and dreams. Take your time and you will get it back.
Sit down (or stand if you like) and make a list or draw out what and who makes you smile, what things make you want to be a better person, to contribute more to the earth and mankind. I love the featured photo up there. The photographer said she added words to the photo that made her who she is. That’s what I want you to do. Add the words that make you who you are. It is this compilation of ideas, ideals, and passions that begins the road map to your dreams. Yes, it’s that important. All that chicken scratch is your core inspiration. It’s a place you should visit often to ignite your passions and dreams. Pay attention to where your mind wanders, especially when you are relaxed and have no pressure on you. Add those occasions to your road map. Some of what is on that sheet may have been left behind or forgotten long ago. You know those dreams. Ones you didn’t really want to give up on but had to because of life circumstances. I hate when that happens. Well, it’s time to revisit your once full inspiration vault. Wake up! It’s time to move on those inspirations.
Tomorrow I will share the next step which happens to be Gratification. The next step will show you how to REALLY ignite those passions you scribbled down. Stay with us so you don’t miss any of the articles this week. The RSS feed button is at the bottom on the right in the footer.
I love reading posts like these, that get you back to thinking about what it is that you truly want. Ideas do start to flow and I begin to think about how I would like my life to be… but then something happens, it’s like playing a computer game… All these walls start sliding out in my way or balls come towards me that I have to jump over, or perhaps I come to a dead end and have to back to where I started… By all this I mean life starts to seep into those inspired thoughts, doubts are riding on the backs of those balls bouncing my way, I am now thinking how is any of this going to be possible! Isn’t it fantastic how our minds work! So I look forward to reading more about I.G.N.I.T.E and finding a way to stop those balls and turn off the sliding walls 🙂
I love watching my kids, they are inspired all day long, without consequences or barriers… that’s where I want my head space to be, free and unhindered.
Cheers
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