 Photo by michael schaffler on Unsplash There was a man who lived with his dog in a little unattractive house. He did not like people much, that's why he favoured the company of his not-so-cute dog the most. Both of them looked ragged and well fitting in their gloomy house.
Their walks were slow and uninspired. The man liked to hide deep inside his hood. He passed the time looking at the boring stones littering the grey pavement. His dog, in turn, paid little attention to the world around, as if not to disturb his master with pointless curiosity. Until one day, the dog decided to sniff around a little. That forced the man to stop and look up. He got stunned. A bright and beautiful smile was approaching him. A girl as pretty as a summer garden, radiating warmth and fun and ease, shook him to the core. He could not stop looking at her and each step that brought her closer. He started to feel a shift inside, something uneasy yet pleasurable was taking place. It took him a moment to realise that he was smiling in return. She greeted him with ‘a good day', and continued on as if this moment meant nothing at all. He greeted her back, and the dog's bark anchored the moment in reality. His face lit up and stretched in an unnatural-looking smile. A grey man was right behind the girl, barely looking up. Both the man and the dog, grinning in smiles of their own, said hello and moved on as if the catching smile meant nothing at all. Stay inspired. Keep inspiring.  Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash One of the many brilliant lines in the book that I am currently reading struck me hard: “We make real. It doesn't make us." The book is “The girl and the moon" by Mark Lawrence, the third book in the series “The book of the ice".
The quote is from a conversation between two beings, now distant copies or parts of real people that once existed. Now they are continuing their path in mechanic bodies. It struck me how true these words are. We make our own reality, it doesn't make us. From dreams and goals, to how we behave in certain situations. We make everything real. It doesn't make us. Read that again. It needs a moment. We make everything real. It doesn't make us. What is worth making real today? Stay inspired. Keep inspiring.  Photo by Jan Huber on Unsplash Can you imagine a tree making an excuse for why it had decided to remain fruitless this year?
Or time making an excuse about why it had decided to stop. Ridiculous, right? So why do we make excuses when their results are as pointless as those of the tree or time? Stay inspired. Keep inspiring.  Between today and tomorrow… Created with MarketingBlocks Tomorrow is a distraction for many of us. We rush through the day because we 'know' how tomorrow will go. But what we end up doing is missing the whole point of the current moment.
So what is tomorrow for then? It is for hope. For showing up. For taking another inspired step toward our Future self. Tomorrow is there to give us strength when today proves a bit too hard. But give it too much power and the sweet will quickly sour. Stay inspired. Keep inspiring.  Photo by Tory Hallenburg on Unsplash Serendipity loves to come with an invitation. One wrapped in the form of intention and openness.
Serendipity needs a fruitful ground ready for her touch. That way a million colourful blossoms can burst into unexpected bloom. Serendipity likes to grace the curious. Those who seek in random places without expecting what they will discover. Serendipity is magic tamed with wander and ease. Stay inspired. Keep inspiring.  Photo by Michael Rosner-Hyman on Unsplash There is a better version hidden inside each of us. One that is smarter, more empathetic, more successful, and definitely happier.
But unearthing that inner genius is hard work. It requires us to overcome our mediocrity and complacency. And next - to conquer our excellence. To reduce our attachments to who we were and who we are now. As well as to overpower that inherent inability to feel and stay with our happiness. The inner genius wants the driver’s seat, but we need to shine a light for her to get there. It is hard work. But it is the most important work we will ever do. Stay inspired. Keep inspiring.  Image from MarketingBlocks As soon as we open our eyes in the morning, the gates open for milliard advice to flood in. There is no place to turn to that doesn't give a suggestion of what to do next to live a better life (I realise the irony here; that's the whole point).
Each step we take can make us feel like failures before we had our morning coffee. And be aware coffee is a terrible choice to begin the day with, especially when complemented by sugar and milk. We need a filtering system to help us select the few voices we are ready to hear. But most of all, a system to help us consider the actions of their advice. It won't be enough to nod our heads or like a post. This will not welcome change. Unless we try to do things somewhat differently. What resonated here for you? How can you upgrade your action system? How can you streamline the flood to a trickle that makes sense? Stay inspired. Keep inspiring.  Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash All devices that we buy come with operating manuals or user instructions. The most ignored pieces of paper by us all.
What if people came with manuals and instructions too? Would we welcome or ignore them? What would be the accepted refresh rate for those papers? How would we know they changed? Stay inspired. Keep inspiring.  Photo by Blessing Ri on Unsplash We owe the seven-day week to the Babylonians. But can you picture life without the timely rhythm of this countdown?
The main benefit that I can foresee is making changes faster and not waiting for Monday. And we will not wait for the weekend to do what we love. What would you do today differently if there was no weekend and no Monday to serve? Stay inspired. Keep inspiring.  Photo by TK on Unsplash The leaders that I care a lot for are those that I am ready to follow, and even to work for and help advance their cause. Because the cause is mine as well - it is ours. As a matter of fact, it feels like it has never belonged to the person on top. One such person would be Simon Sinek and his cause to start the help others industry with a focus on positivity and service. Or Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS) who is teaching the importance of curiosity and doing work that is thrilling, important, and daunting.
Both of them already have a large following and people that trust them and their work. That is how each is building a movement. And while the work of the follower feels equally thrilling, important, and daunting on the inside (to quote MBS here), all eyes remain focused on the leader. They rise up to the sun of people’s opinions and start to cast a shadow on those holding them up. Those true leaders, as Simon or MBS, know how to raise others up and out of that pull that they naturally exude. When others want to lead, they will be the first to give them a boost of encouragement. As long as everyone shares the cause those that first took the lead know that what matters is the service to others, not how many are under their shadow. Elevating others is as important as creating a movement. Ideally, it won't be a shadow that will be cast, but a protective cape for those that follow first. Stay inspired. Keep inspiring. |
MusingsWelcome to my daily writing space. I don't review courses and books here, but aim to give you short brain candy. By Month
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