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Get Involved In Something Inspirational And You Find Bliss And Happiness!
“All our dreams come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Walt Disney
So, what is inspiration? How does it impact us? And what and who inspires you? Clearly, if nothing else, to be inspired or to focus on something inspirational is all very high vibrational activity, contributing to you feeling like you are living your bliss, finding happiness and a sense of empowerment!.
The word inspire actually has several definitions: 1. To stimulate somebody to do something (encourage somebody to greater effort, enthusiasm or creativity); 2. To provoke particular feeling (arouse a particular feeling in somebody, as inspires optimism); 3. To cause creative activity (to stimulate somebody to do something, especially creative or artistic work); 4 to breathe in (as to inhale air).
For me, personally, that which inspires me (fills me with beautiful spirit) is what touches my heart and my entire being, in a way that motivates or pushes me to want to take some kind of action or to, at least, give thought and consideration to the meaning in my own life of whatever it is that has inspired me. Whatever my inspiration is, it serves my journey in some way, contributing to the forward or upward movement, hopefully, of my soul’s growth – and, most of all, it really feels good!
If you are looking for some bliss and joy, take time to become aware of your sources of inspiration; take time to look for situations, people, experiences and moments which you intuitively know will uplift you and, because they feel so good, you will hold in your heart, where you keep your treasure box of special vibrational memories, as we do with Susan Boyle’s experience, forever treasuring them ….again and again.
Finding inspiration is so often about the internal meaning you give to an external event, making it, then, something precious and uplifting to you. For example, I recently had the honor of participating in a benefit theater production in Bucks County, PA, of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues.. The goal of the monologues: create awareness of - and an end to - the violence against women. All profits went to charities which support the education of ending the abuse against women and girls.
To my surprise, I found that by choosing to participate in this magnificent production, I was finding daily, if not moment to moment, inspiration that moved me to tears, through the words I was reading and the actors with whom I was performed. Those of you who watch Oprah know that through the gift of television, you are often inspired by her guests and what they have done or by Oprah and all that she is doing to help the world. This is what I felt by choosing to perform in this play.
Consequently, I felt empowered and wonderful – and wanted to be able to do even more to stop the violence against women and to bring peace to the world in which we live. I felt, also, a sense of transformation occurring within me and, most important, I felt I was making a difference! Yes, I was – and have been– inspired by both Eve Ensler’s words and deeds and by the incredibly gifted actors with whom I performed. These women ranged in age from 16 to 65! Quite a group and I was so honored to be included. (To be continued…)
Susan Barbara Apollon
Author of “Touched By The Extraordinary”
& Intuition Is Easy & Fun
©2009 Susan Barbara Apollon
To Feel Good, Be Happy & Find Your Bliss, Seek Out What Inspires You – And Be Inspired!
“You can do nothing to inspire the person in front of you, if you do not inspire yourself first.” Sogyal Rinpoche
Have you noticed that when you are in need of a feel-good experience, and you find something or someone that fills you with inspiration, you suddenly feel so much better – even bliss and joy? And, you may even feel a sense of intuitive wisdom or purpose rising up within you.
Awareness of what inspires you can be a key to your happiness, bliss, experiencing healing and even living with a sense of purpose. Just consider the beautiful, heartwarming story of Susan Boyle, which, thanks to the internet, has spread around the globe.
Personally, listening to the newest internet sensation, Susan Boyle, became my most recent source of inspiration. I click to listen, knowing that I will cry and be moved to tears as I listen to the gift of her unexpected magnificent voice.. Quite a paradox, if you stop and think about it.
An international sensation taking the world by surprise, Susan Boyle, in the video of her performance on Britain’s Got Talent, has touched hearts everywhere. No one, that I can recall, has inspired so many people throughout the world just by singing one song, amazing as that song is.
Seeing and hearing Susan sing I Dream a Dream from the Broadway show, Les Miserables, brings tears to just about everyone who experiences her. Is it because a dowdy 47 year-old woman surprises us with an unbelievable voice? Are we moved by the stunned looks and words of the three judges, some of whom are known for being rather nasty and sharp tongued with contestants who resemble Susan, an older gal, from a little village in Scotland, dressed plainly and with little or no makeup? Is it that the music is extraordinary? Or is it because, perhaps, we see ourselves in Susan, each of us holding a dream – a vision -, which we are able to make a reality before we come to the end of our life, as she does with this moving, superb and incredible performance?
And why is it that we like to listen to Susan sing I Dream a Dream as often as we do? Perhaps, it is because she inspires us. Yes, she represents hope that we, too, may be able to bring our dreams to fulfillment. When I hear Susan sing, I am inspired; that is, I am infused with the spirit of Hope, Joy, Enthusiasm, Possibility and Love. I feel good hearing her magnificent voice. She is a symbol of hope for me and for all of us that we need to hold onto vision– that anything and everything is possible.
When you choose to focus on someone or something which inspires you, you feel wonderful, full of hope, motivation and joy, enabling you to experience an energetic higher quality of life. A word or two of advice: If you want to feel good, make it a point to become more aware of what it is that inspires and infuses you with life-giving energy, joy and purpose. You will have a win-win situation! (To be continued…)
Susan Barbara Apollon
Author of “Touched By The Extraordinary”
& Intuition Is Easy & Fun
©2009 Susan Barbara Apollon
Life Lessons Learned In Healing From Grief And Trauma – Part 2
When we come to the last moment of this lifetime and look back, the only thing that’s going to matter is ‘What was the quality of our love?’” Richard Bach
2. Be open to changing your perspective! The experience of grief and trauma can contribute to your changing your thinking about what is truly important in life. For example, following the occurrence of a significant tragedy or loss, you may find yourself amazed at the decreased importance and attention you give to what were formerly valued items, perhaps a fancy car, china or clothing, or to participation in previously favored activities, such as sports, your job, traveling or entertainment.
3. Recognize the importance of Love in your life’s journey. You may even learn from your pain and suffering that the only thing that really matters is the person you love and your loving relationship with this individual. My husband taught me this years before we married (some 44 years ago!). Walking along a boating dock, the little bag I held that contained his rings and watch slipped from my hands, went through the boards and into the water, never to be seen again. I cried profusely, feeling great guilt, and will always remember his words: “Don’t worry, Susan. The only thing that matters is you. I can replace the jewelry; I can’t replace you.” His love touched, healed and soothed my pain of disappointing him!
4. In dealing with the pain of a tragedy, loss or grief, healing occurs as you discover that you are much stronger than you thought you were. Suddenly, being forced into roles that your ill or deceased loved ones once held, be it holding down a full-time job, paying the bills, maintaining your home or car, or creating your social life, you may find that you are now taking responsibility for areas of your life that you previously felt you were unable to handle.
5. With your new- found sense of personal strength, you may learn that you are more powerful than you had thought, more capable and more resilient. This new awareness may enhance your self-esteem, self-confidence and your belief in yourself. All of these are gifts because they come at a time when you are left feeling powerless, frightened and worried about your ability to survive. Tragedy often validates your ability to be a survivor, one who can handle whatever curve ball may come your way. My patients have repeatedly shared their awareness with me of how much braver and more courageous they feel they are, having proved to themselves they can survive without their loved ones
6. You learn that there are questions that better serve you than asking “Why did this happen?”, a normal response to such events. By asking “What is this teaching me?” and “What is the lesson I need to learn here?”, you find that you have an enhanced ability to cope with such stressful experiences. For example, such questions often move us from perceiving ourselves as victims to realizing that we have the resources to deal with such challenges. They also move us along in our having a sense of purpose, despite our angst and pain.
7. View the events as challenges or opportunities to learn valuable life lessons; patience, courage, compassion or forgiveness. Asking the previously mentioned questions helps you become more conscious of which life lessons you are here to learn. This, in turn, again, leads to a stronger sense of connection with your own Higher Power or God, as well as a change in your perspective about the meaning of such losses and traumas. Allow your perspective to become broader, inviting in more wonderful possibilities about life, its purpose and whether life continues in a somewhat different form; allow this change in perspective to soothe and heal the pain of your broken heart. (TO BE CONTINUED)
Susan Barbara Apollon
Author of “Touched By The Extraordinary”
©Copyright 2008 Susan Barbara Apollon
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