“When you become uncomfortable with uncertainty, infinite possibilities open up in your life.” ~Eckhart Tolle
Spring is an amazing time for me. Every day I see the progress of nature as it wakes up. Life is emerging all around us, as the flowers begin to peek up through the soil, the blades of grass green up the landscape and the protective sheaths fall away to allow the bright green of the leaves to unfurl and fill in the trees. It is glorious.
And, I find it truly inspiring.
Inspiration is so important in my life today, because it is my source of connection with God/Spirit/the Universe. The word inspiration comes from the Latin inspirare, which means an inward breath, or to receive divine guidance. Understanding the etyomology (study history of words) of words, is in itself a source of inspiration for me. The word inspiration has a few meanings- the inhale of breath, a sudden idea or ah-ha experience, and divine guidance.
I get messages and inspiration all of the time. I get it all of the time because I expect that I will get answers, ideas and guidance because I have faith in my connection with Spirit. So, I ask bold questions I don’t know the answer to. I follow my curiosity. And I delight and celebrate in the creative ways God/Spirit/The Universe offers up these beautiful gifts.
What Gets in the Way of Receiving Inspiration
Being open to inspiration, is similar to how willing we are to take a deep breath. Where are you holding your breath? Are you resistant or are you withholding receiving all that is available to you?
Working with inspiration can be daunting, especially if you prefer to feel in control and have certainty in your life. Receiving inspiration doesn’t follow a set pattern or even meet our expectations most of the time – instead it thrusts ideas and concepts and resources that are often beyond what we can imagine on our own.
The key to be willing and open to inspiration.
Developing More Willingness and Openness
Here are a few actions you can take to begin to develop your willingness and openness to inspiration and possibilities.
Engage Your Imagination Positively
People who are focused on control and certainty, ask themselves “what if” all the time. “What if” is a powerful questioning technique- because it invites your imagination. The key is to ask it from the perspective of possibility of positive outcome, rather than the habit of navigating problems and negative consequences.
Consider asking – “What if this idea were to work out, what might that look like?” Rather than “What if this doesn’t work out?”
“What if I am ready for “x”, what would that be like?” Rather than “What if I am not ready, and I don’t do well?”
Decide to Discover
Every single day take one action that allows you to discover something NEW. This can be as simple as trying a new recipe or taking a new route on your way to/from work. Or it can be taking a class to learn something new or taking an action to do something you have been thinking about for a while. Ask your partner or co-worker a question you don’t know the answer to, share an idea or give recognition in a meeting, schedule a meeting with someone you want to get to know are also ways you can take engage in discovery.
The primary job of all children is to discover. They spend all day every day discovering their world. The more we grow, the more we become certain about how the world around us works, what we can expect from people we engage with, and so we don’t engage in discovery activities that once were so natural. Making this a focus, will spark your curiosity and desire to learn, that is an intrinsic part of the human experience.
Engage Playfully with Life
Find ways to invite more play into your life. Of course you can play games with family members, start crossword puzzles or charades. These are great, but sometimes we make play an event, rather than just being playful with our routine activities. One of the ways I invited play into my routine, was when I was commuting 45 minutes to work each day. Being in traffic is boring, and listening to the radio was not engaging. So I started to play a game, where I would ‘read’ license plates, I would find words and acronyms in the letters I would see. Over the days and weeks of playing this game, I would start to see the same plates, and start to say “Hi!” to the license plates. Later that same year, I learned about angel numbers, and would start to see patterns and messages arise. This was one of the first times I began to realize that Spirit was engaging with me in unique ways.
Choose an Inspired Life
When we create space for inspiration to flow through, it will. The more we give space, time and attention to these messages and ideas, the more they flow into our lives. Today, I have an unshakable faith in my connection with Spirit because I know that even when I am feeling lost or overwhelmed, I will be shown that I am supported. I am open and willing to take a deep breath, to welcome the abundance of the Universe into my life. And this is available to you as well.
Personal Reflection Questions
- Where do you seek inspiration?
- What ways does Spirit/God/the Universe speak to you?
- What does inspiration mean for you personally?
- What action are you willing to take to increase your openness and willingness to welcome inspiration?