Showing posts with label inspire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspire. Show all posts

Sunday, 14 September 2014

~ 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











Sunday, 20 July 2014

Ways to a positive Wellbeing




Its been just over a year that I have been home since breaking my leg and then diagnosed with Essential Tremors;
It has been just over a year that I have had to make sense of a lot of emotional, physical and spiritual issues in my life;
It has been just over a year now that I have had to reflect and learn that,  in order to survive within myself, daily, I would have to focus on my well being. 
  
What is important to realise, when we give from within, enjoy doing, embrace new or exciting experiences, motivate and encourage others and importantly appreciate the smallest things in life...like hearing the birds tweeting as dawn breaks (and yes you still awake and haven't slept a wink)...that life is great.

Daily we need to realise that,  even though God directs the path we travel, we as humans are also the masters and mistresses of our lives...in other words, we can huddle in a corner and play the pity party game or we can wake up each day and enjoy the beauty and wonder that each day brings.

Grasp each moment with the wonder that only life can bring.


Be blessed....


Sunday, 13 July 2014

The Power of a Smile







Think about this for a moment.  How important is a smile to you?  How does it make you feel, to smile, to be smiled at?   For me, a smile can turn the day around. The Power of a Smile can instantly transform a frown or bring sunshine to a gray day. Yet how often do we take "the opportunity to smile" for granted?  Again, for me, I know I do.

When I was still working, I had a pic of a jester printed and stuck on the wall that said SMILE.  As you entered my office that was the first thing one saw, and no matter how down, stressed, frustrated or anxious a university student was, when they left my office they always left smiling, and, they quickly learnt never to enter the office without a smile.  I recently received an email from a graduate student, saying how she misses being encouraged with a smile, that this became the one thing she looked forward to when returning to student residence, know her spirits will be lifted.  

Sharing this with you has me smiling with memories, it makes one feel that nothing was in vain, that someone's heart was reached.

How often now, as we find ourselves in some or other frustrating health or physically challenging situation, do we smile....even randomly?  Are we so focussed on our own issues that we cant just smile at a stranger, at something funny and let the Power of our Smile affect those we come in contact with.

I challenge you today, next time you feel downhearted, frustrated or challenged by your health situation...dig out those pictures that make you smile, think back to moments that made you laugh and smile....as you walk about in a shopping mall, make eye contact with someone really looking down and SMILE....just smile for the sake of smiling...you will love how it makes you feel, and you will smile more when you see the reaction on peoples' faces.

A smile is a powerful tool, you can even break ice with it

Why is a smile important to you?