Inspire 'n' Influence

A while ago, for one of my birthdays, my best friend decided to get me something that would inspire me for years to come. It was a little box with the contents comprising many cards, each with an affirmation or what i found as the most inspirational and motivational quotes. I find that if i leave it beside my bed or up on a shelf in my bedroom (instead of hiding it inside a cupboard or desk) then i tend to look at it more often and feel better each time i read a quote. I thought i might share one with you today. "If you are satisfied with YOURSELF and your thoughts, there is nothing you cannot do or be. Your thoughts are very POWERFUL".

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for”  Quote by John A. She'd This quote sums up the very essence that explains why everyone should travel. We are all ships which are meant to move, discover and learn. We may be scared to do it sometimes. There is often fear of the great unknown, but it's proven that every time we do, it makes us stronger and more rounded as a human being.

I think getting inspiration from other people's stories and personal life experiences can teach you a tremendous amount about a lot of different issues. It is after all, how we learn to do things. Most often we get these skills from our parents or those closest to us when we are growing up. One parent took his role more seriously and decided to give his son the biggest gift of all: a book that contained his life advice, which no doubt came into fruition from his own life lessons. He called the collection of notes, mind and heart reflections and what resulted as a father's suggestion to his son on living a happy and rewarding life as he left home to start college, turned into a clever book that has captured the minds and hearts of many other readers. Myself included.  If you ever get a chance, i highly recommend it.   I enjoyed it so much that i had to share it in the hope that you may absorb it completely and put it into practice...maybe even helping you to preve

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” Quote by Henry Miller This quote really speaks to me. Simply because i am not so well travelled and when i speak to those that are, it always places me on the back foot. This feeling of intimidation, stems from the belief that they know more than me, because they have 'seen' more of the world. Just before these thoughts completely overwhelm me i realise that perhaps seeing all of the world isn't as important as understanding and having an awareness of what is actually going on around you. That knowledge can come from firsthand  experience or the plethora of sources that surround us such as most obviously the internet, books, videos, documentaries and photos. The most important thing to remember is the very message behind Miller's quote, which is your state of mind. If your mind is open to new things you can really learn a lot about life and perhaps even get more joy out of it than others might.

I'm not sure how easy it is for everyone to come by things that motivate them but for me, motivation comes from hearing others stories. A co-worker once brought my attention to a TedX story which features the author behind the website and (now books) called 1000 awesome things. This story takes you through the author's experiences and really lets you look into his failures and triumphs throughout life, which truly leave a deep impression on you, luckily ending on a hopeful note. If you have not heard of it, i highly recommend it. It basically reminds us of the little things in life that we often take for granted or just bypass because we are often too busy complaining about our other problems.  The author details the awesome things in our life to serve as a reminder to ourselves that simple everyday tasks or routines can be awesome and should not be overlooked but should put a smile on our face, which i guess to many of his millions of viewers that's exactly what it d