Inspiration
This week, I’ve felt inspired. Mostly in day-to-day ways, but inspired nonetheless.
The fresh flowers in my house inspired me to stop and smell the flowers. The last few weekends, we’ve had company in our house. Each weekend, there were some beautiful flowers at the market that I just couldn’t pass up. The Gerbera Daisies are so big and so colorful and so beautiful. I find myself stopping mid-task to look at them in awe. I’ll admit I’ve forgotten a few times what I was setting out to do, because the flowers took my focus away. And sometimes, that’s a good thing. Clearing the mind. So, thank you Gerbera Daisies.
Nora inspired me to run 5 miles at the gym last night. We’re both planning to run the same 10-mile race in May. I’ve taken an interest in her running, because it’s the first time she will run a race of that distance. She said she ran 5 miles the other night in the gym. When I started thinking about it, I realized I haven’t run that far since it was warm outside. Like last October. So, I decided to go for it on the track at my gym. I did it. Thanks, Nora.
Mandy inspired me to read a little more. She picked up from the library the same book I’m reading for my book club. I’ve been reading my book for over a month. In a matter of days, she caught up to me. We both are enjoying the book and just might discuss it when I’m done. I’m pretty sure she’ll be done within a few more days. I will definitely need more time than that, but I’m feeling more motivated to finish it now. Thanks, Mandy.
Sweets inspired me to kick back a little bit and relax. Tuesday nights are generally trivia night. However, we’ve both been exhausted this week, him more than me. When our friend asked if we were heading out to trivia night night, I said probably not. We’re going to the theater on Wednesday (tonight!) and needed Tuesday night to just relax. If it weren’t for Sweets being in my life, I would have succumbed to the opportunity to be social with friends. But, I needed that night in just as much as he did. Thanks, Sweets.
Right now, that’s what is inspiring me. What inspires you this week?
January 27th, 2010 at 8:10 am
Um, this post just inspired me!! :)
It’s been dreary and gray here in Boston, but today, thankfully, the sun is shining, I can see a sliver of blue sky, and it’s half-way through the week. I don’t know if I’d call any of that inspiring, per se, but it’s enough to make me smile. And some days, that’s all that matters.
January 27th, 2010 at 8:50 am
Yesterday I had a day that I felt less chest pain and pressure than I had for a while. That inspired me to work on a slipcover for a chair.
January 27th, 2010 at 9:06 am
Isn’t it amazing the inspiration that is all around us. I love that the daisies have stopped your focus on more than one occasion. Have an great night out at the theater this evening. (What are you seeing?)
You inspired me to pick up the book in the first place. I’ve always read quickly but getting my undergrad in English (4 or 5 literature classes in one semester) definitely helped my reading speed. Now though, I just can’t help it, when I pick up a book I HAVE to find out what happens to the characters.
January 27th, 2010 at 9:29 am
The part about the flowers is just great; one of my readers left a comment on my blog yesterday about how she literally stops to smell flowers at the grocery store if she doesn’t have any at home and how it brightens her day considerably. Kind of a neat idea!
I’m glad I could be a source of inspiration; you in turn inspired me last night to do a cardio + strength toggle workout last night. I’m feeling it today but it felt good.
I’m dying to know what book you & Mandy are reading!?
January 27th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Aw, you guys are so cute! You’re running marathons together and having book clubs! lol
What’s been inspiring me lately are the girls who are e-mailing me out of the blue, deciding that we are going to be friends. They either don’t have blogs, or they just started up, and they just want to talk about life and swap pictures and stories and a few of them all contacted me at once last month.
When people reach out in a meaningful way it just knocks my socks off and just makes me smile.
January 27th, 2010 at 9:51 am
The last few days I cooked real, actual meals. I was inspired by step-mom who laughed at all the take out leftovers in my fridge.
January 27th, 2010 at 10:49 am
How awesome that you are running a race together and inspiring each other at the same time!
I love having fresh flowers around; they are a beautiful distraction. What are you reading?
I am inspired by my current interest in working out, how that is making me feel, and how it is becoming a regular part of my life. This is turning a new corner for me and I’m glad I’m finally there.
January 27th, 2010 at 10:49 am
I know this is super cheesy but since this is my first week back at blogging I have been just beyond inspired by all the blogs I am reading – including yours! – and all the support I have been getting from the blogging community. It makes me feel all gooey inside and excited to write more and read more and expand my online community.
January 27th, 2010 at 10:57 am
I ran around 4 miles outside yesterday. cardio-wise it was fine, but pounding the pavement hurts my legs. I can’t believe I’m going to be running at 10K in less than two weeks. I’m so not ready!
January 27th, 2010 at 11:00 am
Getting all this stuff done to get Torsten’s company off the ground is very inspiring to both of us at the moment.
January 27th, 2010 at 11:06 am
Fresh flowers always make me happy. :-)
I need a guy in my life who helps me to relax.
January 27th, 2010 at 11:18 am
Oh man. I’ve been inspired by so many people this week. Bloggers, mostly, including Amy (Just a Titch), everyone involved in Love Harder, and — like you — Nora and Mandy. I was also unexpectedly inspired by a line from a super geeky book I’m reading, by the physicist Richard Feynman. He wrote, “You have no responsibility to live up to what other people think you ought to accomplish.”
And I’m inspired by you! Namely by the Replay Fridays where you shout out to cool stuff around the internet, but also just by your positive attitude, the way you always seem to be encouraging others in some way, and your absolutely darling blog design.
January 27th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
my cats inspire me NOT to bring flowers home, seeing as they tip over the vase, spill water everywhere, and chew up the flowers. jerks. :-)
January 27th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
J and i have been reading through Real Simple magazines and picking out recipes we want to make for dinners during the week. our new puppy, Tuesday, is inspiring us to be more patient, gentle, calm, and assertive people, seeing that we have to pick up after her as well as teach her all the basics for the foreseeable future.
January 27th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Watching the adventures of Nancy Botwin, heroine of the TV show Weeds, inspires me to be less of a control freak and more open to following my intuition and impulses.
January 27th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
A friend pointed out that if I was with some guy who treated me the way I’ve been treating myself, my friends and family would stage an intervention. I don’t know if that’s inspiring, but it was just the kick in the ass I needed to stop being so hard on myself about a rough year.
January 27th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
You know, this is a really great question for me right now, and frankly one I don’t have an answer for. Lately I have been in a bit of a fog. Going through all of the motions and staying on top of everything (work, school, relationship), but not really being there. I don’t know what my problem is and I don’t know what my inspiration is. But I do know I want to find it!
January 27th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
OH! I did think of one thing! My friend recently started joining me at the gym and she keeps saying things like, “holy crap Summer, you are kind of a bad ass!” or “I can totally see all of your muscles when you do that!” It gives me inspiration to keep going. Just knowing that someone can see the results I have been working so hard to get.
January 27th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
It’s so nice to have men in our lives who remind us to relax. :)
I’ve been inspired by a copywriter/blogger friend of mine who is doing this workbook called “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. Every time I read her progress on her blog, it makes me want to make my own progress with writing and simplifying life. Love it!
January 27th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
I, too, have been inspired to read a bit more.
January 27th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
I heart inspiration stories :) And I especially LOVE Gerber daisies! In fact, today I saw some fake versions of the colorful flower at MIchaels that were on sale. I considered buying them for my office for a few seconds, then remembered how much I love having fresh flowers to inspire me throughout the week and that it was TOTALLY worth paying $6 weekly instead of $6 this one time for plastic impostors!
And you know where I stand on resting throughout the week – thankfully husbands can remind us — and give us reason — to sit and just enjoy each others company. What show are you seeing at the theater? :)
January 27th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
there is no better all-around mood-brightener than a vase or spray of fresh flowers on a table!
January 28th, 2010 at 9:15 am
Hi there, friend.
I hearts you, just sayin’. Dude, I am so impressed with the running. I don’t think I can run around the block. (I need to quit smoking, why did I ever start?!)
I used to read all the time. Like, all the time. I majored in Rhetoric and Composition, after all. Lately, I have stopped reading. I think a lot of this is due to the amount of blogs I read. I bet I read over 500 pages a week. Or, maybe like 200. Whatevs. I need a book club to keep me going.
Hearts,
me
January 28th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
go you and go nora! im jealous that you get to run a race together! nora– nilsa is one great mentor!