Moments of Inspiration

In keeping with the theme of Inspiration this month, I’ve been especially conscious in the past few weeks of the things that inspire me. What I have been surprised by are the small, sometimes tiny moments that can change my day. Moments that inspire me to be happier, stronger, kinder, calmer. Moments that come out of nowhere and affect me profoundly. Unexpectedly.

Like the strong but tender touch of an elderly woman helping her husband up from a table at the coffee shop. The pure joy of a preschooler seeing his parents at pick-up time. Or something as simple as a string of words in a magazine or newspaper that speak to me. An unexpected email, tweet or comment that causes a shift in thinking. A story on the news that draws me in. A smile from a stranger. An act of kindness. A flower in bloom.

Usually, when I think of inspiration, I imagine the activities I do or the books I read when I need to be creatively inspired. I imagine the inspiration I draw upon when I exercise or the ideas and practices that inspire my work. I imagine the specific people – family, friends, mentors, role models – who inspire me to live my life a certain way.

But what I loved this month was viewing inspiration as a moment-to-moment experience, and the reminder that it is constantly present in so many different ways. Whether it is through human contact, words on a page, the natural world around us, or within someone else’s story, inspiration is everywhere if we are willing to see it.

As we head into April, may you continue to recognize and celebrate all that inspires you.

As part of Inspiration month, I'm thrilled to share our guest post by Christine LaRocque. Since discovering her blog www.coffeesandcommutes.com six months ago, it has become one of my regular reads, and I have been inspired by her honesty, her insights and her warm spirit. I was over the moon when she agreed to share her thoughts on inspiration and how she makes room for it in her life. Enjoy!

Finding your Centre and Feeling Stronger

Inspiration is a funny concept. Without question it’s what motivates us, propels us forward. Yet it can be so elusive, sometimes hiding just on the periphery, sometimes nowhere to be found.

As a mother I tend to lose myself in the everyday. I get caught up in mealtimes, housework, career, play, discipline and countless other daily responsibilities. When we are busy living our own lives, just getting through the day, we can become single-minded and it can be difficult to see reality. It can be challenging to find the space we need inside ourselves for inspiration, for the motivation to move toward our goals, or just toward some sense of personal peace.

I know this well. I work full-time; I’m a mother, a partner, a friend, a blogger, a daughter, a sister and many other roles. I lose myself everyday fulfilling the expectations of others. I let my relationships and the roles that come with them consume and use up all my energy.

A wise woman recently said to me: “You need to learn to live more from your heart and less from your mind, when you do that you will find your centre and feel stronger in your life.” How profound, complex and significant. That is the woman I want to be!

I’m learning, slowly. I’m discovering how and when to put myself first. I’m discovering ways to clear space (mental, emotional, and physical) so that I have the energy I need to do the things that inspire me. I do this in many ways, the most practical being dedicating time every day to do things just for me, things I truly enjoy: writing, paper crafts, reading, and walking. It sounds obvious, give myself time, and yet it’s not always easy to do. Yes, we give lip service to the reality that, as mothers, we should dedicate time to ourselves. We know this, and yet so few of us make it a priority. By setting aside time EVERY day, it becomes routine, it’s part of our family schedule, it happens. I clear space by deciding my personal priorities, understanding which are most meaningful to me, and then capitalizing on them during this time.

For now it’s mostly in writing and blogging because it’s allows me some self-discovery, to connect with others and to engage in the world around me. It’s a small step, but its working. It adds value to who I am and assigns importance to my needs. 

When I became a mother it felt like I had lost a piece of myself, the piece that defined who I was as an individual, not just as a wife, mother or employee. It was a part of my core that lost importance because my job as mother was MORE important. It took me a long time to realize this, to understand what was missing and how it affected me. When I did, I was able to take the steps I needed to rediscover who I was.

When I clear space, when I connect with myself, I feel encouraged to dig deeper, to recognize my emotions, experiences and thoughts and explore them in a way that allows me perspective. I’m starting to feel passionate about things once more. I'm excited. And I can't wait to find that woman I was once again.

Christine LaRocque is a full-time communications professional and mom working to balance career, parenthood, marriage, and a sense of self. On her blog www.coffeesandcommutes.com she writes about growing and changing and ways to become better to both herself and her family. Her thoughts and observations reflect all parts of her life. Some call it navel gazing, she prefers to call it soul searching.