Just Indigestion
8. Share Inspiration (The Encouragement Manifesto)
There’s a little bit of magic required for inspiration to strike, a lightning bolt of alchemy, perhaps. So, how do we prepare ourselves to take advantage of the moments we least expect … how do we tap into the inspiration without letting the negative thoughts douse the flame?
We love how
offers practical steps we can all take to ensure we don’t miss the opportunity when inspiration knocks at our creative door.This new collaborative project The Gift of Words* is brimful of inspiring thoughts and ideas so this piece complements the growing collection perfectly.
* follow this link if you would like to add to this collection of encouraging words.
“In order to be an inspiration to someone else, you have to be inspired.”
― Steve Gilliland
What if inspiration was a tiny, mystical creature lurking in the trees? What if it was pixie dust traveling in the ether, just waiting to sprinkle magic on an unsuspecting person below? Maybe it’s a fire in our belly that we mistake for indigestion. Whatever the form, this slippery-as-soap muse keeps many of us awake at night.
For me, as a woo-woo weirdo (a title I’m loving more and more with each passing day), I liken our friend ‘Inspiration’ to two tarot cards: the Ace of Swords and the Ace of Wands, a divine download or spontaneous spark, respectively.
It comes out of nowhere, and we just know that this experience is meant for us. It’s that moment of connection that sets the stage for an intoxicating adventure.
And for this gorgeous superhuman leap, Inspiration makes a straightforward request. She asks for an interdependent relationship, for trust in exchange for bliss. But therein lies the issue—trust. Putting our faith in what we can’t see and granting ourselves permission to bring it into form is high-level human’ing.
We leap, but we cannot truly be sure that the net will appear.
It’s no surprise, then, that the moment Inspiration appears, Panic comes along for the ride. I’m sure we can all relate to sitting with an idea and then promptly dismissing it because it’s stupid, overplayed, unoriginal, or insert any other harsh judgment here.
All of this brings up a fear of failure, and down the rabbit hole we go, with no lights and no exit.
Ironically enough, it also brings up fears of success or being seen. Because Inspiration is weird; she’s meant to be an outlier. And being in such proximity to something so far out there can feel scary. When the idea for my book ‘Georgie’s Long Goodbye’ came to me it sounded ridiculous. I watched Season 6, Episode 7 of Friends, where Ross talked about how our consciousness could be transferred into a robot and we would live on forever. That inspired the premise of my book. I added grief to the equation because that was the present emotion stirring in my heart space, but it’s a weird thought to pursue. It required incalculable faith in myself and in Inspiration to bring this idea to life.
But imagine if I gave into doubt and never wrote my book. Imagine if I told myself this was too stupid or unoriginal; after all, Ross thought of it decades earlier. I would’ve still been processing my grief. The readers of my book might still be sitting with theirs too. That is why we need to give space for Inspiration to show up and be who she is. We need to trust in her because she knows what we can’t yet see. She is the Ace of Swords. She is the Ace of Wands. She is the divine spark that asks for a little bit of room in our busy schedules to have an all-inspiring, superhuman experience.
How do we get in touch with her?
1. Clear your mind. Inspiration speaks in whispers. She’s not forceful and will not insist. If you want to partner with her, you have to meet her on her terms, being careful not to startle her. Maybe that means you take a trip to the forest for a hike. It might be a conversation behind a camera lens. It might happen while you're doing the dishes. The point is to be in a place of receptivity and openness. Allow the mind to just be, and give her space to wiggle her way in.
2. Say yes and trust the interdependence of the experience. Of all the billions and billions of people on the planet, she chose you. No pressure, but you’re the only one who can bring this idea to life with your specific voice. You don’t have to see the final result to commit to the task at hand. All that’s needed is a bit of curiosity to allow it to take shape.
3. Go at your own pace. Know that whatever the outcome and however long it takes, if you show up for ten minutes or two hours, know that Inspiration is grateful to live in and through you. She wants to come to life just as much as you want to bring her to form. Give it time, and be ready to be shocked by all the beauty you and she create.
Inspiration will always lead you to the greatest possible version of yourself because true wholeness comes from intention, effort, and a little bit of magic.
Just. Say. Yes.
We do hope you will join her on her journey.