Assignment: Inspiration

"May you dream the most amazing dream, and from that dream create something so profound, as to inspire others to dream, create, and inspire."

I wrote that back in 2002, I had stumbled upon my creativity and felt a passion for it I had never known before.  I knew that I wanted to use my creativity to have a profoundly positive affect on the lives of others, and to inspire them.  What I didn't know was that my creativity would not be the only vehicle for inspiring other, or for having a positive effect on people's lives as my journey through addiction and recovery is proving to be a powerful avenue of service.  

I wish to not only inspire others, but to be inspired myself , as well as to live an inspired life.  Inspiration is all around me and it is a choice as to whether or not I will allow myself to be inspired by All that Is, in whatever form I co-create it.  

I am inspired by so many things, events, and people that my list would be eternal.  But here is a sampling of what inspires me:

I am inspired by the beauty of the sky which, at times, seems like it has been painted by the Divine just for    me.

I am inspired by the people I know in recovery who fearlessly look inward at what needs to be healed within themselves and take forward steps toward do so

I am inspired by my son as he helps to motivate me to run on our nightly runs/walks when I don't necessarily have the motivation to do so

I am inspired by the pain people share with me, to find a way to guide them toward healing that pain

I am inspired by the people who write some of the blogs I follow, who are raw and real and authentic in their vulnerability for the whole world to read, I, too, wish to do the same

I am inspired by the artwork that people create and the videos I watch of them making it, artists giving of themselves so freely a piece of their soul

I am inspired by stories of people overcoming diversity

I am inspired by the pain in my body to process, heal, and release any resistant energy or energy from the past

I am inspired by the personal and spiritual growth leaders, as I listen to them speak the truths and wisdoms that have attained it is my desire to continue grow to that space within myself

I am inspired by the man in my life who is amazing and loves me like no one has ever loved me and who looks at me as if I am the most beautiful and amazing creature, it inspires me to remember that that is how my Creator sees me

I am inspired by each and every breath of my life to decide who and what I wish to be in relationship to it.  The person who cuts me off in traffic inspires me to be a more courteous driver.  The homeless person who asked me for $0.75 so he could buy a beer inspires me to continue to be sobriety, and compassion.  The electric bill that is $50 higher than usual inspires me to be the person who can pay it in full and on time.

In my artwork I am inspired by colors that I love, stamps, papers, and where I am in my life and what I am healing and transforming

In my writing I am inspired by authenticity, healing, transformation all within myself or others.  I am also inspired by perspectives of others that I read about.  I am inspired by healing topics that I feel will help guide people on their healing journeys back to wholeness.

The things that inspire me help to move me forward, I don't ever feel like they block me in any way.  Dictionary.com gives the following as one of the definitions of inspiration:  "a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind and the soul."  Inspiration is the Divine and the Soul reaching from within to shake us a bit, in the most wonderful and profound ways.  No matter what life brings it is an opportunity for me to be inspired to create who and what I wish to be in relationship to it.  I am doing that in every moment, regardless of whether I realize it or not so why not intentionally chose to be inspired to chose who I wish to be?  So I chose to be inspired, to be an inspiration, and to live an inspired life.