I’ve been learning a lot about inspiration in the past month and so of course I’d like to write on it 🙂 . So I can share with y’all some knowledge on this.
Learning about inspiration, I came to the realization of just how much we need it every single day of our lives! Not just in getting that next big idea but in the basic things too. Like in dressing up daily or maybe as a married woman trying to find a different way to cook chicken for her family everyday ( as Priscilla Shirer puts it ) or in our relationships – trying to find different ways to build strong and lasting relationships – I realized all of these need inspiration as well.
As Christians, not only do we need inspiration, we need to be inspirational because whatever God pours into us, he expects us to multiply it. You might be unaware of how even the little things you do like being on time, or maybe being really organized or looking good could be inspiring people around you. That’s why we always have to keep our inspiration alive and ‘fan it to flames’ like Paul was telling Tim in 2Timothy 1:6. Here are a few things we can do to fan our inspiration to flames;
- Read wide and deep.
Inspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated… Reading definitely stimulates us mentally. If you want to be inspired, you need to read a lot; read other people’s experiences, read about their mistakes and failures, their successes and breakthroughs, and just all the wisdom they share. If you’re trying to achieve something and you read about someone who was able to do it, they inspire you to work harder too, because you know if they could do it then it’s possible for you to do it as well. Reading is a great source of inspiration
- Find Your “Inspiration space”
Your inspiration space as I like to call it is that place where you find out over time that your mind is most active and you get the most ideas when you’re there. For me, it’s the bus! Because I spend really long hours in a day on the bus, I kind of just use that time to brainstorm and I realized that I’ve gotten some really brilliant ideas while I’m on the bus! It could be your bedroom or maybe a quiet place in your home. Wherever it is, you need to be intentional when you’re there and let inspiration flow.
- Giving
I realized that each time I’m able to give away something – whatever it is; it could be my time, or money, an idea or whatever – every time I’m able to give, I get inspired; Inspired to work harder, or be better. Because giving has a way of making you feel fulfilled. Each time I give, I get inspired to work harder to be able to give even more!
- Be Quiet
The world has gotten to be quite a noisy place… Sometimes you just need to be quiet – not just finding a quiet place – but also quieting the noise within you so you can make way for inspiration. There’s amazing things you’ll find in the quiet. Just shhhh… and listen
- Write it Down
Journaling is such a great way to keep track of the ideas you get and be able to add to them too. It’s always important to write down every single idea you get when you get it. Sometimes you might think you’ll remember but honestly, most times we all forget. So practice taking down notes and keep a journal. You’ll even get inspired by the things you write down when you go back and read them.
So those are some tips on how to fan your inspiration to flames. I hope they work for you and keep you inspired!
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people” Ephesians 1:18