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You’re the meaning in my life; you’re the inspiration.
~Chicago
Though most of us know that this song refers to a loved one, inspiration extends far beyond. It brings not only meaning but motivation and strength. Unlike genius or passion which can either encourage or depress given the situation, inspiration is almost always a positive force.
Part of becoming a fuller and richer person requires that you understand what inspires you. It reveals a tremendous portion of your psyche as it shows your greatest loves and hopes. Science will never be able to quantify it, and scholars will never fully agree on what it is for everyone, but you can learn what inspiration is for you and use it to reach your goals and dreams.
In its original form, inspiration or “inspirare” meant “to breathe or blow into.” Its implied meaning was to “instill something into the heart or mind of that person,” according to the Roman poet, Ovid.
Since the time of the ancient Greeks, men and women throughout history have sought inspiration. The ancient Greeks made sacrifices to the Muses, and while these deities were among the most famous, every culture has its own version of them, gods who inspire and permit mortals to create incredible works of art and word.
Sacrifices to the gods are only one of the many ways that people have sought inspiration. But inspiration is everywhere. Its nearness sometimes makes it easy to forget that inspiration can be taken in the most mundane things, and that it is a matter of feelings rather than logic.
Inspiration may dwell in your family, nature, home, foreign nations, or religion. Often times, inspiration is linked in what we value. But it is not simply what we already know.
Sometimes the greatest sources of inspiration come when we seek out new experiences and opportunities. While the nostalgic and familiar can bring comfort and spark deeper ideas and motivations, the new and innovative can trigger patterns and emotions we have not even considered. This development might be in something as simple as talking with a stranger or discovering something thrilling, but most experts agree that it is one of the most powerful places to find inspiration.
Yet conversely inspiration can also be found through solitude and pondering. In the quiet moments as we are alone and have time to think, we are reminded of what matters. In the tragic sense, this may be seen when we mourn the death of a loved one and resolve how we will honor their memory. In a positive sense, this can be seen in those times when we realize what our dreams are and dedicate ourselves to reaching those once again. Other times, inspiration is simply taking a break from the franticness of your life and allowing those things that matter most to slip back to the forefront of your mind.
The most important step though is to learn what it is that inspires you and seek it out. While you can look to what others use, remember that that is not what matters. It only matters if it works for you. Inspiration is deeply personal, and you will not benefit from it if you do not understand what you need. Whether it is deep breathing, dancing in the rain, sipping chamomile tea, or leaping off cliffs, you will discover who you are as you learn what inspires you.
Inspiration provides the spark that helps us get going. It can give us the drive to keep pressing forward, and it can sometimes help us to finish. Different people have tried to describe it in different ways. Whether a breath or a fire or a spark or a hope, inspiration always causes motion, even if it is only within the mind.
The key to inspiration though is to not leave it merely in the mind. While you may be inspired by the uplifting tale of an underdog succeeding against all odds or remembering a time when failure threatened and yet you succeeded, it will do you no good if you do not take action.
So as that spark or breath of life courses through your veins, take hold of that feeling and take the action that you must. Dance, sing, run, clean, or paint. Whatever it is, don’t let procrastination smother the embers burning in your mind and inspiring you to those dreams and goals you hold so dear.