One of my goals for 2012 is to learn how to consistently live a truly inspired life. Perhaps you share this goal. But first, we have to know what this actually means! Inspiration can be defined as “the process of being mentally stimulated to do something, especially something creative.” Certainly, being mentally stimulated and working creatively rank high on many of our priority lists! And people frequently report that creativity often serves as an amazing antidote for boredom, fatigue and moodiness that is faltering toward the doldrums. So, how do we become inspired? One thing is for sure: what inspires one person many not inspire another, so there is no comprehensive list of “definitely inspiring” people, places or things that would work for everyone. In contrast, what seems to matter most are our individual perceptions. How we perceive – indeed, even if we perceive – the world around us has everything to do with our resulting reactions and whether this leads to inspiration or desperation. For example, if you visit your favorite spot at the beach and watch a breathtaking sunset…you may find yourself uplifted and inspired by this natural beauty. If, however, you are upset over life issues such as a job loss or a break-up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, you may visit the same spot and find no pleasure in that glorious sunset…if you took note of it at all. Thus, leading an inspired life has so much to do with a commitment to remodeling our perceptual habits and learning to find that beauty exists, no matter how well hidden, in all things. That means that the glass is always half full rather than half empty. It is the same four ounces either way, but the pleasure in drinking is greatly determined by our perception of whether we only have four ounces left (half empty) or still have four ounces yet to enjoy (half full). And the beauty is…we get to decide.

“Emptiness is a symptom that you are not living creatively. You either have no goal that is important enough to you, or you are not using your talents and efforts in striving toward an important goal.” –Maxwell Maltz

Mindfulness is a crucial skill for anyone, but even more so for business owners or entrepreneurs, for there seems to be no lack of worrisome items. The to-do list runs the length of a 20k marathon and fourteen people seem to need your attention at once. And like a run-away train, our thoughts can collide and erupt into frustration and anger or spiral down to apathy or depression. So many of the thoughts that feed our negative emotions focus either on the past or on the future – the two time frames we can never inhabit in the present moment. Thus, only by fully inhabiting this very moment, can we influence our future for good or learn to interpret our past differently, for the past is no longer a location to which we can return and alter. If we allow worry over the past or the future to consume the present moment, we have just sacrificed the only vehicle under our control to drive us to our desired destination. So…focus. Focus on the only moment you can inhabit – the right now. What do you need to do right now to make your future better? What small steps do you need to take right now to work toward your goals? What tasks do you have for right now that need your attention? What do you have to be grateful for right now? We cannot repaint the past. We cannot predict the colors of our future. But we can focus our attention and skill on the only canvas we have before us…the right now.