What inspires you?

I've been thinking lately what inspiration means to me.

As a writer, it's easy to get bogged up in my own head and bubble up until I'm hopefully able to spew it out. Normally this happens at odd hours of the night when my mind and my heart are {not quite} dancing together with awkward unbalanced steps. I started thinking about what inspires me and when and how I feel the most creative.

I am a right brain lady. (Or has psychology debunked that theory? I can't remember). Regardless, expressive/creative, over logic/mathematical. Definitely always. But after even remotely thinking about publishing any of my writing, I started thinking where this all came from and what triggers me. How it's difficult for me to just summon up feelings out of no where and scribble on a blank page. I get my inspiration from writing based solely on how I'm feeling in that moment. Emotions drive me. Not necessarily a healthy statement, but true nonetheless. I thought about what truly inspires me and this is what I came up with so far...

I am inspired by how I feel; for strangers, for loved ones, for myself, for friends, for someone who's hurt me, for someone who's forgotten me, for someone who's encouraged me, ignored me, trusted me. I am inspired by how I feel in situations and changes, in trials and triumphs usually that directly relates to other people or my feelings towards myself in that situation. And in order for me to somehow process that amount of inspiration, I feel the need to get it out. Somehow. Remember, emotional human being over here. God has designed us so intricately and emotionally-sculpted that I am left in total amazement. Maybe sometimes I should thank God for making me this emotional, for the blessing of feeling so strongly, instead of be upset by the way I feel so much so often. Maybe I can learn to do that. Hopefully.

I am inspired by words; My love language is Words of Affirmation, but I think I could over-generalize that to say that my love language is really and truly, words. I am inspired by other's stories. I am inspired by stories told by others, led by others and exemplified by others. I am inspired by listening to someone bear their soul or even just a trial in their life. I am inspired when I am called to listen, to hold my talking tongue and to absorb fully someone else's words.

I am inspired by potential; I am inspired by potential of the student's knowledge and growth, by the half-finished craft or project, by the opportunity to grow in my own maturity or knowledge. I am inspired by the potential of plans or a travel date, of an unknown conversation with a stranger in the grocery store or airplane. I am inspired by the potential of an empty house, a new opportunity, a new friend, a blank canvas, a blank page. So now,

What   inspires    you? 

Learn about it. Think about it. Do something about it.
The world is tired of uninspired people, myself included.
God has given so much to us to be inspired by.