What inspires you?

There are a lot of things that can provide inspiration – seeing other people accomplish great things, seeing other people overcome adversity, even the sheer beauty of nature can remind us just how lucky we are to be alive. It’s easy to forget what an amazing gift life really is. Our lives are nothing but a cosmic blink. Yet for one brief moment, we get to experience the wonders of existence, of consciousness. Our brains are wired to find things we’re looking for – if you’re always cynical or waiting for things to go wrong, then your life will reflect that. On the other hand, having a positive outlook on life will bring you joy and provide you with inspiration when you least expect it.Of course, there are times when it’s difficult to feel cheery or positive – life can be difficult..

According to Merriam-Webster, inspiration is something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create. However, I think there is much more to this word than what the dictionary states. My professor asked the class, "What inspires you?" and I could just feel the anxiety fill the classroom. I could see the nervousness in everyone's eyes, myself included, as we were asked to describe what inspires us. I don't think the nervousness came because we were asked to present something in front of the class on the first day, but because we hadn't really been asked this question a lot.

As I began to figure out what I was going to share with the class and as I listened to the other classmates present what inspired them, I realized how important this question really was and how often we should be asking each other this question or even other questions like this one.I think that it is important for us to start getting to know one another like this. I think it is important for us to not only ask each other generic questions, but to also dig deeper and ask the questions that will allow us entry into one another's truest self. From just this simple question, I learned so much more about my classmates and gave me a chance to understand who they are. It also allowed me the chance to pin point exactly what inspires me on a day to day basis and once I got in front of the class, I realized there was no wrong answer to this question. Not everyone is inspired by the same thing and it fascinated me how different everyone truly is.

To name a few, I am inspired by others and the things they create. I love listening to others speak about their passions, hopes, dreams, and the things they may have learned from something they have experienced. I am inspired by fashion and its ability to allow us to express ourselves in any way we want on any day we want. I love reading books, poems, blogs, or quotes people have wrote. I love watching and listening to the movies and the music that artists have performed. I am inspired by love and the kindness and the vulnerability that it creates.

There is so much inspiration in this world and I think it is important that we start to highlight the things that inspire us versus the things are are destroying us. I just want us to take the time to understand one another. Figure out what inspires you and what inspires your friends. Think about what questions you can you ask one another in order to learn more. It's time to inspire and become inspired.