I was thinking what makes someone inspirational and here’s what I’ve come up with. It’s not a set thing. It can’t a definitive characteristic as not everyone thinks the same people are inspiring. What inspires you may not inspire me, and so forth. That’s why you won’t read and respond to every post here – although I encourage you to reading all of them, of course! Not every subject will resonate with you. I get that.
What does inspiration mean, exactly?
When I think of the quality called “inspiration,” I think of someone who acts or speaks in ways that encourage other people to behave in creative ways. That creativity grows by watching or listening to someone who you feel a connection with, directly or indirectly. Inspiration flows from one person to another and that bond can last a lifetime or only a brief few moments.
For example, Maya Angelou is an inspiring person for me. While she has passed away, her written words and videos continue to give me ideas for my own work and ways to reach out to help others.
I first connected with Maya Angelou’s words after I went through a period of depression and was looking for guidance outside of my immediate circle of contacts. That experience taught me a lot, including how a person can become inspirational to someone after they go through a life-changing event. In other words, a person who did not previously inspire you can one day do exactly that.
What makes someone inspirational is about more than creativity
Inspiration is not solely about creativity either. It is an influence that comes when your senses, emotions and intellect are stimulated. This invigoration can come from a person’s words or from watching another human do something amazing. The result is a personal feeling of empowerment and a surge of energy. It’s a powerful emotion! You feel as though you can take a bold new career path or something else. Or, you might feel you can go further with an idea than you had previously thought possible.
The power to inspire someone else
As for the ability to inspire someone else, that in itself can energize you. And so it is a circle that reinforces itself in such a positive way. Being around an inspiring person can lead to new business ideas, advances in technologies, scoring in a sports game, and so much more. The possibilities of positive energy are endless!
Here are a few quotes about inspiration from some notable women:
(♥) “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ~Helen Keller
(♥) “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ~Maya Angelou
(♥) “What drives the creative person is that we see it all.” ~Wanda Sykes
(♥) “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” ~Anne Frank
What makes someone inspirational?
Now over to you…
What qualities do you think make an inspiring person?
#creativity #HelenKeller #MayaAngelou #person