How You Inspire Me

A year and a half ago I wrote a post called 31 Things That Inspire Me as part of a series of posts leading up to my 31st birthday.

Since then the post has consistently pulled search traffic, which makes me happy, not because it’s my post that’s getting some hits – but because people are looking for inspiration.

So today I’m sitting here with coffee and thinking about inspiration. Not a list of things that inspire me, but a list of qualities in people that are inspiring.

Kindness
Kindness is a beautiful thing. The way you treat the people around you: friends, family, co-workers, strangers, etc. is a direct reflection on the person you are. We all have shitty days – and sometimes we aren’t as kind as we could be. But being kind in the face of stress and unfortunate circumstance shows the true colours or a person.

Every kind action has the opportunity to make a difference. It has the chance to change someone’s day. To put them in a better mood. To do good.

In the words of a great man…
Mr. Feeny: Even you. Believe in yourselves. Dream. Try. Do good.
Topanga: Don’t you mean do well?
Mr. Feeny: No I mean do good.

Faith

Having faith is always inspiring to me. Faith in people, faith in good, faith in God, faith in the thought that things are going to be okay.

It isn’t always easy to have faith in this world. Every day we hear stories of bad people doing bad things and good people making bad decisions. But the ability to take a moment to see the good in the world and trust that those people will come out on top is fantastic – and I hope that it never goes away.

Thoughtfulness
Thinking of others, problem solving, conflict resolution – finding ways to think things through and saving the day in a big or small way is pretty awesome. Too often are we quick to act or yell or run when there is a solution available. The people that find those solutions and defuse situations that could be otherwise terrible are important to everything I want to see in the world.

Talent
Whether it’s talent as a musician, writer, speaker, professional, athlete, or anything else, it’s inspiring to see people who are good at things, use that skill. It takes a lot of hard work to be extremely talented at anything. And that hard work, dedication, and practice make me want to better at everything I try to do.

Love

Being able to love and be loved is a special thing. It can be hard and scary and sad sometimes. But the reward is the feeling that you get when you see someone you love get something they deserve, or the feeling you get when someone you love gives you the support you need when you really need it. Love is inspiring. And the people who can show love are inspiring too.

I love being inspired by people. I love the feeling of wanting to be better because of the way I see other people acting in the world.

If you see these qualities in other people, appreciate them – They are awesome!

And if other people see these qualities in you, good work – You are awesome!