“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
What's the importance of inspiration? Why does it matter? According to Harvard Business Review, a recent study found that people who were inspired were more likely to be open to new experiences, and commit to tasks easily. Inspired individuals were also driven to complete their work, and believed in their work as having intrinsic value, meaning it wasn't how much it was worth to someone else.
Inspired people had higher self-esteem and optimism as a consequence of their inspiration. Keep in mind that positive effect is something else; something that you get AFTER you have completed it. Inspiration is like imaging that artist who is lost in thought and creativity, producing a work worthy of their own.
Another study found that inspiration increases the well-being so that later in life people were reported to have a sense of purpose in life.
So how the heck can we can this type of inspiration when it's so individualized. Self-care has you prepped to transform your life in everyday meaningful ways.
First step:
List all the things that give you happiness: yoga, cooking, hiking, photography.
Find creativity through being a "big kid." What brings the child in yourself? A rollercoaster? Art class? Monopoly? Chutes N Ladders? Operation?
When we start to experience moments in our life that give us that joy, we also start to explore parts of ourselves that inspire us. Think of the ways that bring back those positive memories like having a bonfire with friends by the beach, the friend trip to camping, or the stories your mom would reminisce about as she cooks your favorite meals. THose specific instances makes life interesting, and full of more than just life.
It's inspiration.
Learn something new or try out a new recipe. Why? Research has show than the more we learn, the more our brain makes consistent new pathways, developing stronger plasticity. Develop more plasticity, and you develop more ways to learn and think. Inspiration.
Find quiet time alone, get out and break from your routine, utilize the 5 senses to engage your mindfulness. Research has shown that forestbathing quiets the mind, reduces heart blood pressure, and increases relaxation. This is the optimist time to clear your head to find your creativity.
Listen to a podcast or TED talk that inspires you. Here are my top TED talks:
Do something out of your comfort zone. This Self Care Blog has found that "variety is the spice of life." Research has shown time and time again that taking risks not only increases your luck, but also increases bigger pay off in happiness and reward.
Reach out to people and learn about their stories. Creativity can be bred by learning stories from other people. It's inspirational after all to help those who are less fortunate. When I volunteered at the local hospital in the ICU department, I found a sense of gratitude for my life. According to The Scientific American, volunteering produces multiview points, and allows others to learn to collaborate. When you can learn to work with others, it makes you a highly desirable to others.
Journal and reflect within yourself. Reflection allows improvement. The skills to reflect allows yourself to make yourself a better you every time. A study found that UK commuters were prompted to use their commute to think about and plan for their day. They were reported to be happier, more productive, and less burned out than people who didn’t. Additionally, character screams for self-reflection. If you want to become a better person, you will need to self-reflect about your ways to improve upon yourself.
Takeaways:
1) List all your favorite things to do; find ones that bring the inner child out
2) Find something that quiets your mind and enhances your senses
3) Self reflect and think about your biggest weaknesses; how can you learn to improve upon them
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