Aspire to Inspire Before You Expire

Quite a mouthful isn’t it? Say it fast and you’ll trip over the words most likely. I saw this phrase on a church marquis as I was driving and it sparked my interest to the point that I thought about what it could mean. Here are my thoughts.

To aspire simply means to have a yearning or desire to do something and strive to do it. An aspiring individual is ambitious, hopeful and enthusiastic. This is the kind of person you’d want as a team player in your business for he would keep spirits up and the momentum flowing.

Inspire on the other hand refers to the spirit of encouragement as well as the ability to stimulate creative activity. It is that internal spark needed to make things happen – basically to get off the sofa and get into action. An inspiring individual is uplifting, stimulating, exciting and motivates. This person can light the fire needed to begin the action.

This is exactly what a coach does – lights a fire within their client to make changes. What is a coach? Simply a guide who ascertains a perspective outside the life “game” that the client is in the midst of. As a player in the middle of the game it is hard to see all perspectives since that person is concentrating on their position and viewpoint. An outsider can often see the greater picture and offer new thoughts while encouraging and stimulating the individual into action.

As individuals travel their life path they often find themselves in a place of feeling stuck. Perhaps they’ve been playing their life “game” for a while and are tired of the same playing field. Change is necessary but they can’t see the big picture because they’re still on the playing field. Or maybe they simply want to do something more rewarding and different. Perhaps you’ve been in this place; maybe you are there right now.

Inspiring someone to make changes and become “unstuck” so they can move in a new direction in their life is such a rewarding endeavor. Supporting an individual who needs to know someone cares can uplift both individuals to a place of inner satisfaction. As a wholeness coach, helping people see their potential and gain understanding that if they can imagine it they can do it is the most fulfilling aspect of my life. Watching an individual make positive changes in their life and see the smile spread across their face once they “get it,” does indeed make my heart soar.

But we can take inspiration a step further and reference a deeper meaning. Inspiration can also refer to divine guidance. In this context it means breathe into or draw into the lungs as the breath of life. Inspiration here is the flow of a divine energy that enters one’s thoughts and heart easily without any forethought or contemplation. My books come in this way and I’m sure most authors would attest to this kind of inspiration while writing their works. In fact, I am routinely influenced with divine wisdom every day of my life and cannot imagine life without this guidance. An inspired life such as this leaves the ego outside of the equation for the most part.

I believe that allowing yourself to become inspired and then sharing your thoughts, words and actions with others so that you inspire them in some way, is the ultimate fulfillment in this lifetime. We each came here with a gift to share and our responsibility is to uncover it with inspired guidance, allowing inspiration to help it unfold, and then taking inspired action to do it. Inspired living is spirit-driven whereas a usual lifestyle is ego-driven.

Perhaps you’ve been nudged to move forward in a new direction – change your vocation, write a book, take some training, open a new business – but you are hesitating because you doubt you have the time, resources or capabilities to do it, or you’re simply in a state of fear about moving in this new direction. You are most likely receiving divine inspiration and if you follow that guidance it will bring you amazing results that will include peacefulness and inner fulfillment. Maybe you’ve felt guided to help others in some way, to support, love, guide or encourage them on their journey.

There is no joy greater than knowing you inspired someone into action. Many leave this planet with their music still inside them, and what a tragedy that is. Maybe all they needed was someone to inspire and stimulate them, to believe in them and help them see their potential. What a gift that would be for that person to receive. And think how awesome it would be if you were the giver of that gift!

So in summing up the meaning of the phrase aspire to inspire before you expire, it simply says to have the desire to arouse and positively influence an individual into action so that they fulfill their innermost desires before they die and leave this planet. And it also applies to you – allowing inspiration to flow through you so that you too experience an inspired life. As always, the choice is yours! Be the inspiration!