~ Inspire me ~

A movement only exists when people are inspired to move, to do something, to take up the cause as their own.     …. by Simon Sinek

• So, what INSPIRES you?

• What makes you DO?

This has brought back a thought about my mom.  When I moved out of home at the age of 18, ready to face the world out there, it was my mom who actually kept me inspired.  Besides chatting to her regularly by phone..she in Cape Town and me in crazy Hillbrow, Johannesburg, I would get a letter in the post from her…sometimes upto 10 pages long handwritten.  How on earth do you manage to write such long letters?  I one day asked her, after she asked my to buy her another writing pad, as she wanted to complete a letter to a friend.  She simply gave a girly giggle and said…”when the spirit moves you have to move with it”.

This saying of my mom has proven so true in my life.

I have been involved on a voluntary basis, with the Western Province Sport Association for the Physically Disabled for the past 11years, presently vice chair.  Here I have seen and been exposed to able bodied people who are totally inspired by people with physical and visual disabilities,  and, they have been involved for over 40 years, always encouraging and motivating members and athletes.  Thats inspiring!  That’s taking up the cause as their own.

Now here’s the humor part to me taking up the cause as if my own…well in a way it is, as I also have a disability now (as mentioned previously in a blog I have Essential Tremors). 

 

What's the cause? you ask.  

Man, if ever there is something that peeves me off then its vehicles parked in a parking bay reserved for people with disabilities.  There is just no respect or compassion for people who need those bays.  So Qasa (http://www.qasa.co.za) recently published a number where people can report such incidents by whatsapp and they would follow up with the shopping mall or wherever the parking area is, as well as get the municipality/traffic to act against these perpetrators.  Darn…I saved that number so quickly….and no im not paranoid about it, but yes if I see people, usually these rich buggers in there Mercs or BMW or 4×4's parked in a disability bay and I SEE them get out and walk and do not have a disability sign on their vehicle…..I take a pic and send on.  The cause:  Disability Awareness and respect for people needing those parking bays.

Typing this has me wondering why many people are so hesitant to follow thru on their inspiration or passion!  Are you afraid of that challenge you are facing?

Maybe you are good at some form of art / landscaping / social sport like bowls or darts, but now that you have a physical disability or progressive disease you feel you just cannot cope with what usually inspires you, but yet that passion burns within you....don't give up...re create how you can be inspired..I cant paint or bead anylong and oh how I yearn to grab a paint brush...but i'm learning now how to use my creativity in a different form.  

I have always enjoyed writing creatively but never pursued that avenue, it was always fun to write my sons essay or my niece and nephews essays and loved that they got 100% for it, but now, i'm learning how to blog, and who knows what will come from that but atleast I can use my creative thoughts in a new direction.  I have a research project up my sleeve too....about the paralympic movement, what South African Paralympians are doing after retiring from Paraympics and how sport has changed over the years for the Physically Disabled.  Its a biggie that one...but I will get to it.

So, take up the challenge, be inspired and let your passion take you to new extremes and opportunities in your life.

Greetings

Focusing on your well being

So,...... I thought I would share some ideas that make caring for yourself a manageable reality.

While there is no magic cure to relieve some of the realities of what we face with our various disabilities, taking time for ourself helps. A good place to start is for couples to talk with each other about their self care needs and then co-create nourishing and re-energizing opportunities for them as individuals and as a couple, or to chat to a friend or family member.   Its not a pity party by no means, and its also important for the person listening to know that.
For both, self care, whether spiritually, physically or emotionally can seem elusive or inconceivable and for some, even unacceptable, however, its very important to focus on our well being....this is what drives one, it sure drives me even when I feel I am in an emotional doldrum or if its a bad day health wise.

It is so important that we are reminded that in any type of relationship, i.e. with yourself, your partner, friend, family member(s), we find the "us" in maintaining any form of relationship.

• Let go of the notion you have to do it all by yourself.
• Identify what is extraneous and depletes your energy.
• Practice saying "no" on occasion.
• Practice saying "i need your help".
• Learn to share responsibilities with your spouse/family/friend, if you can, know matter how small.
• Overcome being intimidated by others who seem to do this effortlessly.
• Find a Life Coach who work respectfully with you.
• Broaden your skills to better handle stressful behaviors or circumstances.
• Find environments that fit your needs (e.g. don't go to supermarkets when its busy, avoid peak hour traffic if it creates tension).
• Network with people who have similar situation/disabilities you are in or are just starting to face, to learn what lies ahead and discover their coping strategies and techniques.

Meeting your own needs can come in a variety of forms, depending on what would be fulfilling at a given time. Perhaps your internal batteries can be recharged with quiet reflection and other times rejuvenated by having contact with people whom you feel close and understood.  I know, that just enjoying the view of the sea or being in a scenic nature environment helps me to focus on my well being 

Ideas to consider for revitalization are:
Develop a relationship with someone you can trust; 
Block out non-negotiable time for you and your spouse on your calendar.
Go out on dates with your spouse, friend, family — something interesting, novel and fun.
Find a form of exercise you like to do; designate time, even if for short periods — it will be invigorating.
Meditate, learn relaxation techniques.
Listen to uplifting music.
Get involved in something you thought you would never do and things you like to do. It builds up your reserves.
Start or join a book club, support or discussion group.
Attend the theatre, lectures, movies, music and/or sporting events.
Get good rest, including power naps.
Keep a private journal to pour out your dark thoughts and negative feelings.
Create a space for a safe haven in your home; make it your special retreat.

Its important to realise that challenging your attitude about self care and not abandoning your needs, will allow you to gain new perspectives about renewal and energy. 
Often, by making yourself do some of these things, you'll discover you cope more effectively, minimizing the risk of burnout (physically or emotionally). You deserve to claim time and space for yourself. In being creative, your possibilities are endless.

I want to end off by saying, all the above is good and very important, but the most important aspect when focusing on your well being, is LAUGHTER, a jolly good dosage of this and to be added as part of your Chronic Medication.

“Laughter is wine for the soul - laughter soft, or loud and deep, tinged through with seriousness - the hilarious declaration made by man that life is worth living.”
― Seán O'Casey

Time for my cuppa ...greetings to you

HALFWAY there...Be INSPIRED

Do you sometimes feel that your sense of creativity has abandoned you? Maybe feeling a little stuck and not able to get much out of you? Finding it difficult to get inspired?

This is more or less how I’ve been feeling for quite a while. Out of creativity. Out of ideas. Out of imagination. Out of inspiration. (Which explains the lack of posts lately). OK well I wouldn’t say totally out of ideas. It’s more like blurred or vague ideas that I couldn’t get my mind to really develop.

And I hate that feeling. I hate feeling stuck. Because usually, I’m the kind of person that gets inspired easily, and thoughts and ideas come flowing right at me. So standing in front of a blank paper and not being able to fill it really drives me crazy.  Or as the thoughts come to me it's like I go into a "brain freeze"...what now?

But then the other day, while I was having coffee with my friend in one of my favorite coffee shops, I saw this:

: “When inspiration does not come to me, I go halfway to meet it”. Wow.

It’s funny how we always wait for inspiration to hit us, to strike us, and to take us by storm. How we sometimes think that it is inspiration’s job to come to us, and our job to wait for it. Feeling uninspired is something very normal, and we all feel not very creative at some point and run short of ideas. But in life, we gotta work for everything and we gotta realize that waiting gets us nowhere. Even when it comes to finding inspiration. Seeing this quote made me realize that it’s also on us. We gotta give inspiration a hand, a chance to find us.

And so I decided that this is exactly what I’m gonna be doing from now on: Meeting inspiration half way. Whenever I feel that I am running out of inspiration, of creativity, I will go and meet inspiration and creativity halfway. And when I find inspiration, I will not stop there either. Because, like I once wrote in one of my very first post somewhere: “it’s not what inspires us that really matters, it’s what we do when we’re inspired“.

May you and I both take a leaf from our own thoughts.

Be inspired........