What is Your Inspiration?

What is your inspiration in your life? Do you feel like you are living the life that you want?

Some people think of it as a calling, where others see it as purpose. I see it as both, but it's inspiration that drives us forward. 

We start having dreams as a child and as we grow older, we make plans to go out in the world to become x, y or z.

What are your talents and gifts? Where is your life taking you right now?

Are you good with people, or working with your hands, or great with computers?

Every single one of us are born with talents, and we grow up discovering what they are. Some people have a natural tendency for music or drawing, while others are good at sports or science.

Are you using your talents to the fullest, or could you do more with the time that you have?

When you go out in the world, what resonates most for you? Are you drawn to a place, a group of people or profession?

My kids are at that age when they love super heroes. I hear them play with their friends and it's all about the characters attributes. Who is the best at flying, inventing, fighting or have special powers. Even at their young ages, they are influenced by role models and characteristics.

Do you look up to someone for who they are, and get inspired to live like them?

We can learn so much from other people and they don't have to be superheroes. They can be normal people who we admire.

Part of my role as an educator, is to empower and energize my students to find out who they are, and where they fit into our world. So much is happening in school that isn't in class, but everywhere. 

When I think about inspiring people, an actor called Chadwick Boseman comes to mind. We talked about him in class this week and I thought about his inspiration in life.

For those of you who don't know him, Chadwick Boseman was cast as the Black Panther in the movie with the same name. While he was filming, he found out that he had terminal cancer. He didn't let the diagnosis defeat him to stop living his dream, and carried on working. The movie was released in 2018.

Chadwick Boseman gave an inspiration speech at a graduation ceremony in May, 2018. In the speech, he talks about inspiration in life and what drives us to go on our individual paths. (See link below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoA-a-g2o4g

Chadwick Boseman was acting throughout his chemotherapy, and told nobody about his illness. It must have been hard to carry on working during chemo, but he loved acting and managed to complete filming. He lost his battle to the disease and died in 2020, aged 43.

I thought about his speech, and it made me wonder how many of us live our lives to our full potential. 

Do you listen to your inner voice and follow your heart to do what inspires you?

Do you have the luxury to choose what inspires you the most, or do you have to work in a job that takes you away from it? 

Most of us work to earn a decent paycheck to make a living, but is it what you want?

If something feels right, then trust your instincts and stick with what makes you happy.

Your life matters.

We only have one life and we should live it while doing what we are called to do every day. How many of us can say that we are doing just that?

When I speak to young adults, I see that spark of inspiration as they explain to me what they want to do after their finals. It's amazing to hear all these wonderful and often ambitious opportunities come alive. 

Life happens after we finish studying, and we get knocked down all the time, in a rollercoaster of highs and lows.

If you speak to people in their twenties and thirties, you hear of struggles, challenges and set backs. But there's also stories of strength and inspiration to overcome adverse life experiences to achieve new dreams.

Life happens and it's your choice where you go. 

Make it count.

I came from nothing, and I had everything stacked against me. Despite where I was, I was determined to start again. I turned my back on my traumatic past to live for me. I was inspired to succeed and I fought hard to get there.

I carried on through blow after blow. Some were devastating, but others were easier to overcome. Today, I'm the woman I strived to be all those years ago. I'm a mom and a writer. 

My name is Lizzy. I'm a trauma survivor, a wife, a mom, a teacher, and an author.

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For more about me: www.elizabethwoodsauthor.com

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More from Elizabeth Woods:

How Do You Manage Stress?

https://medium.com/activated-thinker/how-do-you-manage-your-stress-477b7a66153d

Are You Feeling Valued?

https://medium.com/illumination/are-you-feeling-valued-fc1376f695bc

Challenge Vs. Struggle

https://medium.com/activated-thinker/challenge-vs-struggle-af12e236afa2

What's Your Anxiety Variety?

https://medium.com/illumination/whats-your-anxiety-variety-552117898656

Do You Have Humility?

https://medium.com/illumination/do-you-have-humility-1224f30ba785