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Tag: inspiration

Alone: fuel for you

A client asked me for my top recommendation for those feeling lost and seeking direction. My answer is simple: be alone. Being alone is one of the best steps you can take to improve yourself, your relationships, even your business. Making time to be by yourself can give you new energy to bring to your work and your loved ones, and the revelations that come in quiet moments often have huge implications. Space alone can be the fuel you need to tackle projects with zest and be the best partner you can be.
But it can be tricky to carve out time for yourself, especially with family and work obligations. Be gentle and honest when you ask for this space. You don’t need to go into details with your boss; a simple “I need to take tomorrow morning for myself” is fine.
Please don’t confuse “loneliness” with “time alone.” Moments by yourself on a walk, in the car, at the library can bring to you answers to questions you might not find when surrounded by others. Some people crave alone time more than others and enjoy independence; others need less of it. Remove judgement and revel in the time you’ve carved out for yourself, and if you can, take away any expectations for what the time should bring. Often, answers come when you least expect it.

Why we must never give up hope

There is always someone to fight for.

There is always a reason to move forward.

There is always a voice that needs to be heard.

There is always a cause that demands attention.

There is always work to be done.

Give someone who needs it extra support today: a hug, a hello, a coffee, a flower, a smile, a listening ear, a word of encouragement, a kind hand. We are all neighbors in this life. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”

Choose love even when you think you can’t afford to, when you can’t see light, when you feel the shadows have won. For that’s when you must fight. Fight to love. Fight to hope.

The danger of waiting for miracles

What if the miracle never happens?

What if while you’re waiting, something better comes along but you miss it because you’re too focused on waiting for the first miracle to happen?

What if instead of waiting for the miracle, you took concrete steps towards making a dream come true?

What if the miracle isn’t what you need in the first place?

If you are counting on a miracle for your plan to work, chances are you should focus your energy elsewhere.

10 unpleasant things that are actually good for you

Sticking to a schedule – Having a reliable structure gives you the space to create and dream. The same routine again and again might sound boring, but repetition contributes to mastery and improved skills.

Failing – Disappointments test your motivation and resolve. Failures can encourage you to try again and come back stronger.

Heartbreak – Great lessons can be learned from failed relationships, and the period following a breakup or divorce is ripe for self improvement and discovery.

Rejection – Didn’t get that job or promotion you were hoping for? Ask yourself hard questions and analyze yourself through a more critical lens.

Running/Sprinting/Lifting weights – It will hurt at first, but imagine a healthier, fitter body and mind and get yourself out the door.

Practice tests – Repetition and preparation are cornerstones to success. Improve by doing. Even when it’s annoying.

Being broke – You’ll learn how to budget and save when those last dollars leave your wallet.

Not understanding – Asking questions builds empathy and keeps you curious.

Embarrassment – Moments of humility yield trust and compassion.

Hard work – Put in effort, get results. The best outcomes require time, discipline and focus — and rarely happen overnight.

How to write an article that goes viral

Quitting everything to go to Nepal is one of the scariest pieces I have published. I felt like a gutted fish, open and raw, when I wrote it. I had just come back from my first trip to Nepal, and I had so many thoughts swirling in my mind. I didn’t know how to share them and no one wanted to hear ALL of my stories, so I started to write. And write. And write. Writing has now become a daily compulsion.

I didn’t set out to write a viral article. I wanted to talk about what was trapped inside of me, experiences I wanted to let go of. I was a shaken can of soda and decided it was time to rip the lid off. The more I wrote, the easier it was for me to see common themes in my writings: family (lack of), love (searching for), work (wanting to do something meaningful), fear (of everything), risk (daily choices and big, lifetime decisions). I know I’m not the only one whose dreams have suffered because of one or all of these issues.

I remember counting to three before I clicked “publish.” My stomach was in knots, I had read and reread and rewritten and read again, over and over and over. I thought the post was going to ruin me. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but I knew deep in my bones that I had to write. Fear wasn’t going to stop me. Intimidation wasn’t going to stop me. Lack of confidence in myself and my choices wasn’t going to stop me.

As a writer, that’s what you need to do. Tell the story that hurts, the ones that make your skin prickle. Write the lessons you’ve learned that caused you pain and made you stronger. Ignore that obnoxious voice that whispers you’re not good enough, experienced enough, smart enough, important enough. Tell that voice to go to hell and write. Rip the lid off and write. Readers don’t want prefabricated lines. Give them YOU — your honest, messy, unrefined self.

A recipe for finding answers

Go someplace quiet
Where you are truly alone
Turn off everything
Your phone, especially
And sit
Listen to your thoughts
Five minutes
Where does your mind take you
Ten minutes
Where does your heart take you
Fifteen minutes
What do you really, really want?
Be still
Be quiet
Repeat once a week (at least!)
And watch your life unfold