She zeroed in on my word choice, ‘inspired’, and posed this observation and question…

“I felt a stirring of curiosity.  Is that the same as inspiration?”

Wow!  …have YOU ever pondered this distinction?

Thanks to this brilliant question, I did…and I discovered some pretty cool stuff!  See if it leaves you curious…inspired…or perhaps curiously inspired!  ;`)

Curiosity & Inspiration Just May Be BFF’s!

According to my MacBookPro dictionary, curiosity = a strong desire to know or learn something. 

And inspiration = the process of being stimulated, a sudden brilliant creative idea, THE DIVINE INFLUENCE that created the Bible (how’s that for awesome!?!)

Curiously Inspired

In my book curiosity and inspiration often go hand in hand.  You might even see them as BFF’s!  

It’s like, curiosity poses the possibility, peaks an option, an interest… and inspiration opens the door and carries me through.

• Curiosity points at something and says, hey, that could be cool, interesting, crazy, awesome, bizarre, fun, odd, etc… I COULD be interested in knowing or learning more about that.
• Inspiration feels it and says, oh yeah…this thought, this idea feels good, I feel good about moving in this direction, something inside me says this is a good idea, the right path in this moment, a good thing for me to try/experience.
• Curiosity feels more mental, in my head…more intellectual and thus more open to my questioning, my analyzing (perhaps even doubting) before I’ve even given it a chance or experienced it.
• Inspiration is pure, positive energy and is resistance free. Inspiration feels good, every time. Inspiration stirs from the heart, not the mind…it’s energy is fueled by the heart & intuition/Source (God’s) Guidance. Inspiration is me, tapped in, tuned in, turned on.
• Curiosity feels limited in it’s motion and movement. I can feel curious about something, but not feel any inspiration or desire to actually act on it. Inspiration is the carrier.
• Inspiration feels limitless, boundless, open, free and full of vitality…it’s the ultimate spark that ignites all.

What exactly does it FEEL like?

If curiosity is accompanied by flutters in the heart or stomach area, some kind of sensation stirring below the head area…inspiration is there, too!

Sometimes, (for me) curiosity stirs when I know I want to step out & try something new…but I’ve not experienced it before…and so sometimes it’s mixed with a wee bit of fear or anxiety of the unknown.

So, I look at that. And I know that any fear I have isn’t my Joy of Brilliance Self talking, it’s that part of me that isn’t sure she can step out of comfort just a little bit to try something new…and I know that the bigger part of me feels and knows that it’s going to be A-OK…(’cause I’m not a thrill seeker, so it’s not like I’d be curious about jumping off a building, or anything else that could bring me real harm! hehe)

After enough times of stepping up to the edge and trying something new, I find more stepping stones along a path that feels more alive and aligned (resonant) with what my heart and soul yearn for (what my Joy of Brilliance, God Given Self yearns for) and inspiration accompanies (and often over-rides) my curiosity.

Can you relate?

I just feel inspired to do it. I love the feeling of inspiration. It’s like a loving propulsion forward. Propulsion without resistance. The kind that carries me forward with JOYful motion.

Whoa!  Did You Feel That?!?

I love noticing even the smallest stirrings of inspiration. Listening for the still voice inside that beckons my attention in one particular direction at just the right moment…

Like… Wow! If I wouldn’t have listened to my inner voice saying, Stop! Look to the left! I would have missed seeing the most beautiful little bird sitting in the bush, hidden completely from one who may have continued on with some other purpose, not listening to the sweet voice of direction from within.

Heart First, Mind in Tandem as Faithful Second

It’s about dropping into the heart space and listening from there. Our culture teaches us out of our heart and into our heads.

• Our heads are wonderful. Our intellect is necessary. And…
• Our heart needs to be in the driver’s seat, giving direction and guidance.
• Our mind/intellect listens and is directed by our heart. Our mind works for us.
• Our hearts (our Divine Selves) give our mind a job to do and our mind acts as the faithful servant to the heart with eager willingness to be guided.

We forget that this is the way it is meant to be.

What is your heart/head relationship?  Have you considered it?  Who’s in charge within you?  Are you heart centered?

When we come into our hearts, everything becomes EASE-ier. Everything begins to make more sense. Isn’t that funny? Our hearts are what helps us get clear…not our minds. Brilliant! 

So, I say…

• Embrace curiosity. 
• And trust inspiration. 

Together, they’ll take you to a more blissfully JOYful experience!

What recent curiosity stirs within you?  Have you experienced inspiration’s invitation lately?  Which of the two leads you to respond more desirably…curiosity or inspiration?  Let’s meet in the comments to further discuss!

In the Flow of JOYful Inspiration…

DebSoul ~ Your Joy of Brilliance Inspired Friend and Guide

Photo:  ’Curiously Inspired’ by ME!  …thanks to my sissy, Deann for modeling, even if she didn’t exactly know that’s what she was doing.  Ahhh…JOY in the moment generally leads to further inspired moments.

Thanks to Lori for inspiring this post and for courageously committing to following her JOY.  Shine On, Brilliant One!

For forever, I’ve LOVED the word inspiration.

• I love the FEELING of being inspired.
• I love the feeling of creating from an inspired place within me.
• I love the rush of JOYful elation and creativity I feel when inspiration floods through me.
• Inspiration feels LIGHT, connected, Source sourced.
• Inspiration feels LIMITLESS.

When I hear phrases like, “are you motivated?”, “what motivates you?”, “what is your motivation?”… I feel less than enthused.

• Motivation can feel a little sticky,
• kind of heavy
• and a little hard…
• like something I have to do, more than something I want to do.
• I feel a sense of agenda and a certain LIMITEDness.

Feelings Matter!

I’ve known forever that my feelings matter; that they are the ultimate indicators and messengers of what’s really going on for me.  I began referring to this as my Resonance Barometer a long while back.  I know, without a doubt that my feelings (and the physical sensations they register) inform me of how closely (or not so closely) I’m currently aligned with my Joy of Brilliance Me…the ME I am born to be.

Inspired Brilliance!

I talk a lot about Inspired Action (which leads to Deliberate Creation) and how that’s the only kind worth taking…when we’re talking about creating the reality we desire.

Sure, sometimes there are things we’ve just got to do.  We may not always feel exactly inspired to clean the house or do the laundry or grocery shop.  So…we may look to motivation to get that job done, and that’s OK.

The point is, knowing the difference, and knowing that rocking your Joy of Brilliance, or being in the Vortex as Abraham calls it, and grooving to your own unique rhythm and flow is sure to induce plenty of inspiration for you to channel in to a myriad of potentials.  Isn’t that exciting?  I feel SO inspired by that!

Abraham on Motivation and Inspiration~

Here’s what Abraham had to say about Motivation and Inspiration that totally rocked my world…

“(We’ll talk about) the difference between motivation and inspiration.

Motivation is an outside the vortex (Abraham’s word for ‘being in the zone’, in your Joy of Brilliance, where everything lines up & your manifested reality is as you dream/create it to be) stance.  Where, I’m aware that if I don’t do such and such that there will be negative repercussions.  So, I’m going to make myself do it, I’m going to motivate myself, I’m going to remind myself that if I don’t do this then something bad or worse will happen.  And so, I motivate myself to go to work because I don’t want to make anyone upset there and I don’t want to lose my job, and I don’t want money to stop coming.  That sort of thing.

“Motivation is action that I am compelled to from outside the vortex; while inspiration from our point of view is being close enough to this vortex that’s already assembled.

I put everything there, bit by bit by bit, it is amassed and it has become this reality that the larger part of me literally is…and if I get close enough to the vibrational frequency of it, meaning  I have little resistance within me, then I’m going to be called in by the powerful Law of Attraction.

It’s not going to require me doing something.  I’m not going to have to make myself do it.  It’s like the stars align.

It’s like the difference between being in a hurry and trying to get somewhere and having every light be red, and people get in your way, and then suddenly you realize you’re behind somebody who’s got their flashers on because their car isn’t operating and then when you try to pull around somebody else is in your way.

In other words it’s like things going wrong as you try to push your way through it.  That’s sort of what motivation is.

Where, inspiration is being so close to the frequency of everything that I’ve put into my vortex that Law of Attraction is calling me and I’m following…because I care about the way I feel…to this nice flowing, nicely unfolding, very blissful experience.”

Abraham says, “as long as you’re feeling inspiration when moving toward it, then you’re moving in the right direction.”

 

Dear Dictionary…

Love what my Mac Dictionary says for Inspiration,

“a sudden brilliant, creative, or timely idea.  …divine influence…  the process of being mentally stimulated to do or FEEL something.”

No wonder I like inspiration!

And even the dictionary is less enthusiastic about Motivation!  It simply says,

“the reason(s) one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.  The general desire or willingness of someone to do something.”

See, motivation is more about a simple willingness.  And it sure feels sourced more from obligation than anything more…inspired.

What’s the Difference?!

You’re willing to do the dishes, but not necessarily inspired.  Although, I’ve found that while doing dishes, cooking, cleaning, showering, etc…some amazingly inspired thoughts and ideas tend to flow in.  So, appreciating those things we motivate ourselves to do…seems to allow space for inspiration to flow in.  Seems like a win/win to me!

So, that’s it!

Inspiration = IN your Joy of Brilliance. IN the flow of everything that’s aligned.  In the flow of the energy that creates worlds.

Motivation = OUTside of who you really are. It’s about willingness, it’s about doing, but it’s not as juicy, because it’s doing just for the sake of doing.  It’s not so much something that flows from INside…as it’s something that tends to be sourced outside.  There’s just never as much JUICE there.

I’m Going to PUMP YOU UP!

I grew up in the age of “motivational speakers” and there are still many who call themselves that.  It (they) never appealed to me. Somehow, I always felt the motivation was coming AT me…from outside me.  Now, I understand it was.

Now that I’m a speaker, I’ve never used the word motivational to describe me, though some have reflected back to me…  “You’ve motivated me to make a change.”  “Your message is so motivational.”  I appreciate this, and I know what they mean…

And yet, for this word-vibration-loving-girl, I have to say I LOVE these responses so much more,  “I feel so inspired listening to your message.”, “You inspired me to be more of who I really am.”, “The inspiration I felt inside me while listening to you was like bubbles of JOY multiplying a million times over.”  (Yeah, I LOVE that one!)

Why?  Because I know what inspiration energy creates.  I know where feeling inspired takes you.  I know the gift of inspired creation…and it’s living a reality beyond your wildest dreams.

Which do you choose?  Motivation?  Or…  Inspiration?

Have you felt a difference in them in your reality?

Come tell me about it in the comments.  I’ll meet you there!

Home Page Photo Source , Inside Post Photo Source

“The Mantra… is a word of power and light that comes from the over-mind inspiration or from some very high plane of Intuition. Its characteristics are a language that conveys infinitely more than the mere surface sense of words seems to indicate, a rhythm that means even more than the language and is born out of the Infinite and disappears into it…”

Sri Aurobindo (The Future Poetry)

Just as the mantra comes from a spark of divine inspiration; so too does your voice.

What is your unique voice?

By this I mean, your essence, your spark, that which when ignited tells others without wonder who you are, who you’ve become or are yet becoming.  Your voice is as unique to you as your fingerprint.  Have you claimed your uniqueness?

Finding the voice that is YOU alone will support you endlessly.  When shared, this voice carries a quality of authenticity that builds trust amongst your tribe, your fans, your audience.

Are you using your voice, or that of another?

Do you know what your voice is, or has it been buried for so long you’re not sure?

If you could re-discover your uniqueness, would you be interested?

How could getting clearer with your voice make any difference to what you do?

Would it make a difference if people could feel the real you in your words?

Would it make a difference if people felt a deeper bond of loyalty to you because they trusted your ‘voice’?

I believe the answer to these questions is YES.  And I also believe that when we get a yes; it’s a call to action.  If you’re feeling a yes; then let’s get started!

Call to Action!

Here are some stimulating questions to help in getting clearer with your voice:

• What is the voice you’re currently sharing?

• Is it authentically, uniquely you?
  • If so, what are the things that make that true? If not, whose voice are you using?
  • Why? What are the qualities of that voice that you resonate (vibe) with?

• How could the voice you’re sharing be more accurate to the real you?
  • What could you add that would help others get a better sense of your true essence?

• Has your unique voice evolved over time with growing awareness, changing interests, etc.?
  • Is this an environmental influence of sorts?
  • Would your fingerprint change with changes in your environment?

Dig Deep~

These are not trick questions.  Only questions to have you dig a bit deeper.  Our finger prints don’t change.  They are with us from birth.

Our essence, that which is at the core of our being doesn’t change either.

It’s our life experiences, specifically our perspectives of those experiences,  that change and either bring us nearer or farther to that core essence.  The more aligned our thinking is with our true nature, the more in sync we are with our uniqueness.  Our essence.  Our brilliance.

Are You Listening?

It’s this core that we’re listening for.

This is our voice.  This is the voice we want to bring to every thing that we say or do.  This is the spark that when ignited shines our brilliance for all the world to see…and for our audience to align with as they feel supported in shining their own brilliance.

Isn’t this what we all desire, deep down?  It doesn’t matter what our job, vocation, or talent is.  This applies to them all.  It isn’t prejudiced; doesn’t segregate.  Deep down we all want to be who we are, be recognized and have others be able to do the same.  Consciously.

How can you impart “infinitely more than the mere surface sense of words seems to indicate” as the mantra does?

Simply by infusing your essence, your eternal spark of inspiration into every word you choose.  It’s about layers, depth and truth of character.

If this interests and inspires you, please share your thoughts in the comment section.  Let’s talk.

If you’d like some gentle assistance in finding your unique voice and some guidance on how to better share that with others; please connect with me here.

Happy Buddha Photo

Time for a Resolution Re-frame~

Intention and Inspired Creation.  Now there’s something that really turns me on.  I can get excited about these every day, not just for New Year’s.  Every day is a New Day…  Hey!  We could start celebrating it just like that!  New Day’s Eve (Maybe without the champagne *every* night.  Well, that’s none of my business, your choice.  I’m keeping the kiss at midnight, though).  New Day’s Eve would bring awareness to the ending of one cycle and the birth of another.  New Day’s Day is every day!  Shiny, bright, and filled w/spectacular promise and possibility…a whole new day to live an inspired life!  …and then it’s New Day’s Eve again.  Perfect.  Very in the moment, don’t you think?  :0)

Let your Inspiration guide you~

A new blogging friend* recently wrote as part of her New Year’s Post, “I’m starting to write more, and suddenly I’m willing to give up decluttering the house if it means I have more time to write.”

It’s definitely like that, isn’t it?  The more we align with what we really want, the clearer what we really want gets, the more we realize some of the stuff we thought we wanted can just wait…or go away all together!  :0)

Imagine the day you feel inspired to declutter the house; that’s the day to do it.  (The day will come; it surprised the socks off me the first time I felt the real invitation!)  That’s the day you’ll sing and dance your way through what could otherwise be a ‘task’ that you might do begrudgingly.  That’s the day decluttering brings with it a feeling of clearer space, cleaner energy and brighter days ahead.  After that experience you’ll thank your house for getting cluttered in the first place (while you were busy doing other inspired activities) just so that you could spend some quality time with it!

Happy New Day!

I’ve got no shortage of inspiration or intentions.  Here’s what guides them all and tops the list today (a good feeling tells me it’ll match for every *NEW DAY* of 2009):

My New Day Inspired Intention is to be continually aware of what is inspiring me, to take inspired action, and to be in gratitude for inspired creation!

Are you feeling it?  What’s your “Happy New Day” Inspired Intention?

*For further inspiration, you’ll enjoy Victoria’s post:  “Here Comes 2009″

Image Source

My Marley (Ashki)

This movie touched me on so many levels I don’t know where to begin…so we’ll start with the pooch.  Marley’s character, like many canine companions that grace our lives, is all about being in the moment and doing what comes naturally…and if that means eating an entire  50 lb. bag of kibble in one sitting or eating the family sofa for a snack, well then that’s what it means.  Marley is hopelessly upbeat, full of energy and charged with enough love to light New York city.  He’s endearing; you can’t help but love him…even if he can destroy an entire garage in a matter of minutes.  Marley gets into our hearts and grabs hold so tight we’re not sure we’ll be able to breathe unless he’s right there by our sides.  Marley is the best and the worst of any dog you’ve ever met.  Marley is pure love.  Marley lives without regret.  Marley, while being just slightly unorthodox in his ways, teaches us lessons that will stay with us for lifetimes.

John (Owen Wilson) and Jenny (Jennifer Anniston) are a newly married couple making their way in the world.  They’re both writers.  Jenny, a well known columnist and John, a self-proclaimed reporter.  They move to Florida from Michigan to be with the sun and to start their new life together.  John and Jenny get jobs…Jenny gets newspaper space large enough that it could wallpaper an entire room in one issue while John gets less than a quarter column buried deep inside the paper to report stories that you have to wonder if anyone cares about.  The story continues to unfold when “Discount Puppy”, Marley comes into their lives.

From here forward we witness John and Jenny’s growth as human beings.  We see them begin to recognize what matters to each of them, and we see that what they thought mattered sometimes really doesn’t.  We learn that holding on to an old dream, believing it’s still important, when realized can translate to something so stale and old we wonder why we ever dreamed it in the first place.  We see that children add an element to a couple’s existence that is both the greatest miracle and the greatest challenge they’ll ever face.  (Don’t I know that one!)  We see that humor heals many wounds and that love transcends the darkest of times.

Marley and Me touches the soul.  Deeply.  It engages your heart and tickles you silly.  It plays with your thoughts and questions your choices.  Marley and Me mixes your emotions like taffy being pulled…stretching and turning between immense joy and deep sadness…all of it good, sweet and colorful.

If ever you’ve experienced a canine friend relationship that rivals any other relationship in your life in its depth of emotion and love, then Marley and Me will touch you beyond belief.  Go see it.  Bring someone you love.  (Too bad they don’t allow dogs at the theater…although upon considering this further it’s really not a good plan as this may give your favorite pooch some behavioral issues and ideas that are better left on the movie screen!)  Bring some tissue.  Yes, lots of crying along with the laughing; I just want you to be prepared.  Enjoy the movie.  …and then go home and give your Marley the biggest Hug of Love ever!!

I am at peace in my future,
at peace with my flow,
in harmony with one,
fully in abundance
and filled with light.

~Mark Gehrke

Mandala creation inspired by a fresh snowy Colorado day.

If you like this mandala and would like to see more see my mandala slideshow page.

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Part 2 of 2. Listen to Part 1

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• closing song – Artist X ~ I am You

Trust 22 web site
Directed by Oren Stambouli

Get your copy at the Trust 22 website or at the Amazon link below.

“TRUST 22″

Artist X Links:

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