Inspiring the Uninspired

We are not all superhuman.  I have my weaknesses too.  Today is a perfect example of that.  I had great intentions to go run and got sucked into a netflix movie called "The Revenge of the Electric car" (side note: it is an excellent movie and I highly recommend.)  This happens to me a lot.  I used to be an avid cyclist.  I loved my bike and I always felt like we were one.  I could hop on it and together we could explore old places or new.  We had a great relationship and never seemed to fight.  I would take care my bike by cleaning it and making adjustments after each ride, My bike in return would never let me down when shifting up a treacherous hill or giving me ample enough speed as I applied pressure to the pedals in a blazing fast downhill.  We would take long journeys together or just go out to see how fast we could do a particular ride.  We had an understanding and a kinship if you will.

Just about a little over a year ago, I knew my moms health was declining and I began a massive sell off of the things I knew I could get rid of.  In that sell off, my bike was one to go.  It wasn't as sad as letting my cats go, but equally as hard.  On one hand, I knew I had to let the bike go because I wouldn't have room, and on the other hand I knew like hell that I would miss our time together.  What I have come to understand is that my bike was un-objective and had no expectations of me.  My bike was there for me if I wanted to ride, or if I was away on a month long stint of travels  around the US while working events.  In the back of my mind, i knew I could count on my bike to always be there.

Now that my bike is gone, I have to admit, i feel like a part of me is missing.  Maybe in the massive selloff, the bike, giving away my cats, and losing my mother, I lost a part of who I am?  Maybe that part can never truly be replaced?   People will say, you can get a new bike, new cats, and build new wonderful friendships.  The things that build us up are the stepping stones for our greatness.  The people, animals and even things, mind you not useless material things, but things that help us become better and feel better about ourselves, are things of wonder and inspiration.  I know for some it may be family time and waking up to their little ones, to others it may be the solace of reading the newspaper or a favorite book, and for others it may be the simple joy of watching a sunrise while consoling a cup of coffee or tea.

You see each of us has our own inspiration factor as I like to call it.  They are things that we hold true within us that keep us going.  They keep us motivated to take that next step in life or to even get out of bed.  Often times it can be as simple as a picture or a quote, and other times it goes deeper into our emotional connection with the things around us. Regardless of what that "inspiration factor" is, it is unique to you and you alone.  I may not understand your "inspiration factor", but the truth is I respect it.

My challenge to you on this day, this week, this month and the years to come is, What is your "inspiration factor"?  What is it that makes you get up and go each day?  What is it that you strive for?  How do you keep that inspiration close and what do you do on the days when it seems to have left or moved away from you?  It is my belief that these inspiration factors are what make us unique and great.  Possibly in sharing this, someone, like myself, or maybe a friend of yours or family member, or just a random g+, twitter, or facebook friend will find inspiration and it will allow them to dig deep and find out what motivates them.  Maybe just maybe we can start a brushfire of inspiration, not only around your close friends, but possibly, the community, maybe the country, posssibly the globe?

What is your inspiration factor?

Until next time...