Inspiration: Utilising our inner compass

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Inspired people have a subtle positive energy, a spark you can't put your finger on, a radiance or even a glow.

Inspiration is closely linked to purpose. It is a feeling we get when something rings true for us, something feels exciting in a meaningful way.  In other words, inspiration is like an indication, or a signal that we are on track to living with more purpose. Research tells us that having a purpose in life is crucial for our health and wellbeing . When we feel inspired, and live with purpose, our body knows we are happy and functions better.

We are all entitled to an inspired life. Judith Orloff, author of The Empaths Survival Guide explains that sadly our society doesn't always educate us about the value of inspiration. Sometimes, the slog of work, family and just the every day grind can leave us feeling a bit dull or tired. Sometimes we don't even know we are pretty uninspired and just accept functioning in an automatic low energy type of way. 

Since inspiration might not have been a priority for most of us, we can start a fabulous experiment as an adult to recapture it. 

Here are my three favourite tips on how to feel more inspired:

1. Pay attention to your energy

Ask yourself, are you often talking about your passion to others, researching it, planning more meaningful activities with joy and excitement? Or are you often feeling a bit dull, or lethargic in your daily activities? Its ok, wherever you are at. This is the first and biggest step in my view - just noticing your energy. Its important to have an awareness of how you come across to others in your daily interactions. Do other people see you as a vibrant positive person? A lot of people are functioning on automatic these days with going to work, going home, doing chores and then sleeping. If this feels a bit familiar to you, ask yourself, maybe my batteries are a bit dead? Maybe I am aching for a jump start?  Well done on noticing this - although maybe a bit confronting, this is a great realisation. Yoga, and other mindfulness tools such as listening to your breath can help us become more conscious, more aware of our own thoughts and the energy we exude to the world.

2. Intuitively identify your passion

Our intuition is often forgotten in todays world of 'brain focussed activity'. Intuition is an inner wisdom that we can utilise to help us make great decisions in our lives. You know when you get that feeling to stay clear of a certain personality? (lol) We can start to intuitively identify our passion by finding signs of life in our everyday living. For example, you might be walking from your office along to a café in your lunch break and notice a painting that draws your attention and makes you feel a bit taken away to another world, or you feel fascinated by it. Or you might have a random interaction with someone you normally wouldn't and notice things they are doing in their life that seem to resonate or excite you. You might feel an overwhelming compassion for a person, or animal struggling, or give to someone less fortunate and feel super uplifted as a result. Pay attention to these intuitive experiences - these are your inner compass. 

3. Micro adventure

Take breaks from your routine. Obviously, we can't always take a 4 week holiday to seek clarity in our lives. I have come to realise adventure and breaks can come in the form of 'micro- holidays.’ Something as simple as an afternoon, where I drop all my to do list, and walk up a hill outside of the city, and sit and enjoy the views. Often inspiration hits people on a holiday because they are away from the routine and stresses of their life, so more creativity can flow - inspiration and creativity are pivotal to being vibrant and alive.

Think about how you can create a half day micro-break for yourself, a get away, visit a new café, walk a different walking track, engage with someone you normally wouldn't, or make an intention to admire the simplicity of the landscape around you.  As a heads up, in my experience usually these moments arise through activities that are not always approved by your current pairs, or family, or may be outside of our 'normal' daily routines.

In summary, inspiration really brightens the energy around you, and people will instinctively respond. Once we notice our own energy, utilise the powerful tool of our intuition and make an effort to be adventurous in our approach, we might find the blandness in our persona starts to be replaced with joy.

Jo Jarden is a personal trainer, yoga teacher, facilitator of wellbeing workshops and founder of Heart and Mind Yoga studio in Christchurch New Zealand. She has 10 years experience in health promotion in New Zealand and Australia including management and promotion of national chronic disease prevention programs.

Jo helps people to thrive in life. Her approach is two-fold:

  1. She supports people with a body and mind approach to find purpose, and

  2. Helps people reveal limiting beliefs, and subconscious narratives that shape our behaviours, our health, relationships and our performance.

Qualifications include: Certified Yoga Teacher Santosha Yoga Institute, Registered Australian Yoga Alliance 2017
Certificate in Advanced Personal Training, Fit College New Zealand, 2016
Bachelor of Science with Honours Public Health. University of Canterbury, New Zealand 2006
Bachelor of Arts Mass Communication and Psychology. University of Canterbury, New Zealand 2005

Jo Jarden