My journey led me to Grafton today and as I sit here at their local Subway staring out the window after reading a book (of course crying and felt foolish so had to stop) and listening to Alan Watts-The Mind (someone inspiring introduced him to me today-Click Here for my favorite so far) thoughts of inspiration have overwhelmed me. Inspiration as I was reminded the other day can come from so many different sources, even cartoons, as it is all around us if we choose to see it. I love the small town feeling when I travel to places as I heard a man say to another “Your son is doing a great job mowing the cemetery.” and I think wow, people still appreciate the small things and it inspires me and makes me hopeful.
What inspires you to be better? Who inspires you? I also believe something that inspires one person could have a different effect on another. I find inspiration in many ways and I’m constantly searching for it so I can make sense out of my life and to be challenged.
Who inspires me? I have had many people in my life who make me want to be better. Of course early on that was my parents as their influence on my life is not measurable as they have taught me that even through hardships something good can come from it and to keep persevering through storms. My sister inspires me a ton too to have fun and don’t sweat the small stuff as she is always being spontaneous which I am not really good at doing (hence the NKOTB concert). Also, my own little family inspires me everyday to just be better with all the love they give me. I have had a few mentors along the way but I would say the biggest influence was at my first big girl job at the Wellness Center. This person would walk into the room and everyone would want to listen because the energy was just radiating from him. He knew to take risks in order to receive the result that was necessary to make the place better and I so admired what he was able to do and what he continues to do even though he has been given some road blocks along the way, truly inspiring. Friends have been there along the way too. A friend most recently who has had a ton of their own struggles is still there to listen to me and give kind words and I’m pretty sure that fits into exactly what I talked about in the last blog about Friendship as just being there for someone can make a huge impact.
There are so many others out there who I have never met that I draw inspiration from too whether it is in a documentary, an athlete, or even a book they have written. Again I get my inspiration from so many that I can’t name them all but there are a few I would like to mention to hopefully inspire someone else. I have read Jon Gordon’s books over the past few years to try and inspire my student staff so that they could learn something more and be something more. The most inspirational for me was “The Carpenter”-Click Here-as it talks about a carpenter who comes in to another person’s life and gives him so many tools to use in everyday life as he is more than just a carpenter. A documentary that I saw recently called “Into the Wind” about a cancer stricken and leg amputee, Terry Fox, who attempts to run across Canada to raise Cancer awareness, such an amazing story -Watch Here-. Lastly, I have talked about a gentlemen named Zach Sobiech who died at the age of 18 from osteosarcoma and his mom wrote a book “Fly a Little Higher”-See Here- which I am currently reading (hence the crying stated earlier) as her strength defies everything and it is an amazing story that may not have a happy ending but provides me with so much strength and inspiration.
After typing all this out it seems that the theme is challenge and struggle and how others overcome it. I look at it as if they are able to do it then why can’t I? Inspiration can come from some of the most unlikely places and if we keep our eyes open it is sure to be there when we need it. I will keep trying to find these stories and surround myself with people who inspire and will share them with you (keep your eye out for a new page to the blog called INSPIRATION). I hope to be that person for someone, someday as we all have a story and can all be inspired by each other.
Be inspired and inspire others is what I choose to live by.
Today’s music came from an unlikely source on the soundtrack from “Walk to Remember.” I know what you are thinking, what a chic flick but if you haven’t seen it yet then I challenge you to watch it. People are taken from our lives too early but it is how we spend our time here that can make a difference one day at a time.
A few of my favorites:
Dare You to Move: Switchfoot
Dancin’ in the Moonlight: Toploader
Cry: Many Moore
Until Next Time……………
Traveling With Jo 