XOXO

Sandy

The more I have thought about it, the more that I realized that what is holding us back most in life is not what I thought. So, what is it really?

What stops us from being healthy, stops us from being successful at our job, stops us from having great relationships, stops us from being happy, stops us from being fulfilled, causes us to be victims?

What is stopping us from getting what we want in life?

It is the thing that holds us back from making the necessary changes in our life, and it is not fear of change.

Change is the key to getting what we want most, but it is the one thing most of us are not willing to do, no matter what. People are literally willing to die instead of change. That is why I keep pounding on it. That is why I keep trying to find the key to opening up the lock of change.

Fear of change is one of our major road blocks to success, but the more I see and the more I experience, it is pretty clear that in most cases it is really not “fear of change” that is holding us back. We say it is because in some way that is almost acceptable. If someone is fearful of something it is understandable and almost acceptable that they will not change as it is really tough to overcome our fears. However, saying we are not successful at something in life because we are fearful is a copout. For the most part, the real reason people don’t change and improve their circumstances, is we are plain old too LAZY to change!

Think about what it is you are struggling with in life. What it is that you want? Why is it that you are not getting it? Is it fear of change or is it because you are too lazy to change? Honestly?

I wish I knew the formula to eliminating laziness and I could put it in a bottle. If I had it I would be worth a Trillion dollars. Think about it — laziness causes obesity, many cancers, poverty, divorce, addiction, war, unhappiness…it causes death. Yet people are still just too lazy to change.

So, if laziness is my problem, where do I start? The first step to overcoming almost anything in life is to admit it. It does not matter what it is. The first step to success and breaking through is admitting the truth. I am just too lazy too. We have to quit hiding behind fear, circumstances, others, etc. and admit we are just too lazy to change. Then we will be on our way.

Make it a powerful month and don’t be too lazy to do what you need to do to.     ; )
Love and Peace!

33 Ways to Find Inspiration

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” 
― Jack London

One of the questions that friends and clients ask me about my work is Where do you find your inspiration. I’m always a bit befuddled by this question, as I’ve always simply taken for granted that my mind is overwhelmed with ideas, questions, possibilities and at times seemingly absurd dreams incessantly. But because the question comes up so often, I thought I’d take some time and write down exactly where I find my inspiration. And I hope what you discover is that you have inspiration dancing around in your mind more so than you at first realized.
One of the most important directives when it comes to finding inspiration comes from Jack London’s above quote. Inspiration isn’t looking for us, so we must get up and do something in order for it to dance into our minds. In other words, we must sing for our supper.
After all, we all live in the same world as Beethoven, Claude Monet, Henry Ford, Oprah Winfrey, Rachael Ray and the long list of individuals who were inspired to tap into their gifts. And as we all have our very own unique gifts, we must trust that the universe is eagerly wanting us to seek the inspiration that will unwrap our gifts. But in order for this magical adventure to begin, we must take action, and that is why I begin with the number zero. The following 33 will not be able to reveal their pixie dust unless at first we are genuinely curious about this thing called life.
So have a look. If you ever find yourself needing inspiration for your next project, your upcoming remodel, a change in how to do your job more effectively, or how to improve your life in general, give one of these a try. They’ve all worked at one point or more for me.
0. Be curious
1. Take a risk – leave your comfort zone
2. Read Daring Greatly
3. Spend time in nature – take a hike in the woods, a stroll on the beach, find a bench in a park or take a bike ride outside of town.
4. Spend time with someone new
5. Spend time with someone who brings out your best self
6. Spend time with your own company – follow where your curiosities take you
7. Get a good night’s sleep
8. Dive into history – read works by Doris Kearns Goodwin or David McCullough
9. Watch a TED talk – a few I recommend – Elizabeth Gilbert, Susan Cain,  Malcolm Gladwell
10. Take a class that piques your interest
11. Observe the people you admire – learn from what they do
12. Attend an art exhibit
13. Attend a play at the theater
14. Watch a film
15. Attend a lecture or book reading
16. Flip through magazines full of images – decor, fashion, outdoors, cooking, etc
17. Read non-fiction
18. Read newspapers – local and from around the globe
19. Read!
20. Change your perspective, literally – take a different route home, rearrange your furniture at home and/or the office, change your exercise routine, move (a bit extreme, but an amazing opportunity to gather new ideas)
21. Travel
22. Try new recipes
23. Taste food you’ve never tried
24. Read an autobiography by someone who inspires you. See the world through their eyes.
25. Find time to meditate regularly (even if it is only once a week for five minutes)
26. Keep a journal – look back through older journals to see how far you’ve traveled as a person.
27. Attend a conference that grabs your curiosity
28. Plan a day with no appointments or responsibilities – let your mind wander.
29. See the world through your children or your pets eyes. Appreciate the simplicity and ability to appreciate the present moment.
3o. Read inspiring blogs such as Marc and Angel Hack Life
31. Read a classic novel and contemplate the life lesson the author is trying to reveal to the reader
32. Watch OWN’s Super Soul Sunday or any interview by Oprah
33. Reflect on activities you once loved as a child or as a young adult. Make time to include them in your life again – at least once, to remind yourself why you enjoyed it so much.
Life is an amazing, surprising journey that offers so many wonders if only we choose to take actio, and refuse to simply exist. While it has been said many times that success in life is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, that prerequisite inspiration is needed.
And the good news is, it’s everywhere we look. We simply need to open our eyes and become as present in the moment as possible.
The post 33 Ways to Find Inspiration appeared first on The Simply Luxurious Life®.
Related post: 50  Ways to Find Inspiration – Create, Explore, Expand