Take a moment to be inspired

We exist in a world with endless to-do lists, bombarded email inboxes, and ever increasing relational demands.  In this environment imbalance reigns over the lives of most people.  We are constantly challenged to give more, be more, and do it all faster.  The pace can be hard to sustain, especially if you are not being poured into.  Let’s press the pause button for just moment on our hectic world and ask a simple question… When was the last time you took a moment to be inspired?

Personal inspiration is one of the keys to staying mentally and emotionally healthy.  If you give yourself away but never receive any kind of encouragement from inspirational sources you could be heading for burnout… quickly.   The problem is that most people wait for others to inject inspiration into their lives and never seek it for themselves.  Therefore, if no one offers any inspiration then most individuals just go without.  There is a better way.

Try making a commitment to carve out a brief moment to get inspired and encouraged.  Make it daily.  Make it a habit.  Soon you will find that you have more to give and less to be exasperated about.  Feeding your own needs is part of managing your personal growth. 

Here are a few things people I respect are doing to stay inspired…

Listen – With an ever-expanding source of podcasts and media online, there are several inspirational speakers to download.  Listen on the way to work, during an errand, or on your desktop computer while you chip away at email.

Read – Spend $10 or less to get a really good book to inspire your heart.  It could be a biography about someone that you look up to.  It could something with a collection of stories that encourage your heart.  Find something you can read for 15 minutes a day that will really impact you. 

Spiritual Habits – Prayer works, there is no doubt about it.  The most balanced and inspired people I know spend time daily in prayer.  Additionally, reading and memorizing scripture from the Bible can be a source of inspiration that gets into your head but also transforms your heart.

Talk – We all have people in our lives that are inspirational powerhouses.  Schedule a lunch or coffee with someone like this regularly.  Listen carefully to their words as they speak and allow them to speak truth into your life.

There are more strategies to stay inspired out there.  Any one of these above would be a good place to start.  They key is to get going.  Start seeking out moments of inspiration daily.  You and those around your will be grateful that you did.