“What is Inspiration?” — 27 Randomly Brilliant Thoughts That Stimulate Me to Get Off My Ass
By: Jessica Tate
Tags: Beyourself, Inspirational, What Is Inspiration, Inspired, Inspiration

Sorry for the crass title, but I wanted to show the concept of “What is inspiration” in motion. The title got you inspired enough to click, but now it’s my job to convince you it was a wise decision, so you’ll read further.

Believe me, it will be worth reading this post in its entirety because afterwards you will feel a spark or two of inspiration, at least enough to get off your buttocks.

Exploring the concrete and philosophical question, “What is inspiration? (Pixabay image).

To the average person, the word “inspiration” has positive connotations, but I don’t think many people stop to ponder how it actually feels.

We can define inspiration in many literal ways. The dictionary defines it as “a powerful influence on the mind, exciting or stimulating.”

But defining terms in a literal sense can be restricting.

So I’m taking poetic license, so to speak, and provide my random thoughts on the topic. In fact, this “What is inspiration?” compilation is just a free-flowing exercise.

Sometimes, I force myself to write for an hour without worrying about grammar or all other written rules to express myself fully and deeply. Fear not, I’ve edited the version after the hour elapsed.

But the following 27 ramblings are the output of my unfiltered views on inspiration, and I hope you find them inspiring!:

1) Inspiration is Everywhere

Inspiration is in the clouds, in the trees, in the flowers and in my lover’s eyes. It comes in many shapes and sizes. It could be a song, a picture, a quote or even a thought.

When I marshal inspiration, I have a fervent desire and motivation to do better or change for the better. Falling in love or falling to the soft earth below can be inspirational.

A thought, a conversation, an observation, a book, a film, a dream can trigger inspiration. Inspiration may come from anywhere, anytime, as long as my eyes and heart remain open.

2) It is About Renewal and Rebirth

Inspiration is mending a broken structure and giving it new life. It’s also about generating and promoting change and improvement.

3) It is a Very Personal Expression of Emotion

Inspiration is a personal experience, affecting body, mind, and spirit (Pixabay image).

It can be a tear of happiness, a smile at a friend’s joke, or the feeling of hope for the future. It is what drives me to continue and ends up being something that I live for.

4) Like the Air I Breathe — It Surrounds Me

Most of the time, I can’t see, taste or smell inspiration. I can’t point at it and say, “It is there!” But I know it is there. It gives me faith to wake up in the morning and start over again when I fail, get hurt, or feel rejected.

5) Inspiration is Indispensable

Without motivation, there is no action. Without passion, there is no fight and no victory. If I’ve never witnessed others climbing a mountain, I may never have learned to climb my own mountains.

6) It is What Transforms a Great Idea Into a Masterpiece

It is the magic that drives people to achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams. Yet most people don’t seem to understand it or know how to harness its power.

I cannot get inspired when I don’t believe I can influence the outcome of a situation. Sadly, too often, I don’t realize how much power I truly have.

7) Inspiration is Out There, Coming to me When I Least Expect it

Some days it flows like water, other days like sand. Yesterday was a sand day. I wrote nothing, read nothing, but felt everything. Today is a water day and I’m feeling the steady stream of inspiration.

8) Inspiration is the Call that Keeps Me Knocking

As I continue to persevere, listen closely. Inspiration is the whisper that fills my heart with purpose, and the feeling that tells me to act. It can be as fast as lightning and other times, leaves me wondering if it will ever come.

9) Inspiration is the Driving Force Behind Outstanding Achievements

It’s what moves me to overcome fear, fight through pain, persevere in times of adversity. It reinforces my determination to get the best out of myself and to achieve beyond my expectations.

It teaches me to handle everyday problems with fortitude, so doubt and fear don’t get in the way of optimal achievement.

10) Inspiration can be Challenging to Find

Inspiration is everywhere and typically abundant, but it’s difficult to find at times. So where can I source inspiration? I’m glad you asked!

There are lots of places I can get inspired, but I need to work hard for it. I can get inspired by art, design, or nature. I can be pensive and dig deep into my soul, looking for the answers I seek. Or I could get inspired by people who possess admirable qualities.

Locating my inspiration is a personal journey, and the results will differ from person to person. But what is interesting is that these ideas stem from one ultimate place: ourselves.

11) It Takes a Variety of Forms

Inspiration takes the form of a poem, a song, a painting, a sculpture. Inspiration is the energy and passion which flows into an existing idea or creation, making it something else.

12) It Makes Life Worth Living

Inspiration is the drive that brings something good about. It’s the sudden realization of small things I take for granted.

It is the thing that wakes me up out of my sleep to write about what I’m feeling deep down inside. It’s a desire to be better, to help others and to create something brilliant.

It is the vehicle of change, transforming the meaningless into the meaningful.

13) Inspiration is a Powerful and Moving Force

It comes from all different angles surrounding me, seeping into my soul, and guiding me. I wish I could capture it and make it stay, but it’s always moving, coming and going as the wind.

Sometimes replenishing my mind with ideas, other times shredding my heart with emotions, leaving me to question what I’ve done wrong.

I4) It Stems from the Selfless Sacrifices of 0thers

To be inspired is to be elevated by the example of another person’s good deeds. The word “inspire” means: to breathe the breath of life into, cause to exert oneself, and “instill with a particular motive or set of ideas.”

People who sacrifice, especially those who give their own lives on behalf of others, leave an inspiring footprint so that I can better move forward in my own life, with zeal and courage.

15) It Helps Me Get the Job Done

Inspiration is quick, it’s agile, it’s present, it’s ready to do its job.

You can feel it in the air. The wind pushes it at the right speed; the rain falls gently, illuminating a rainbow.

It can manifest itself in many forms; while at work, while I sleep, while I eat. All I need to do is seek its form, notice it, feel it, and act upon it.

16) Inspiration is Purposeful Passion, Lighting the Fire Within

Inspiration can motivate me to pursue a dream, a passion, or just a goal of some sort. When I have a purpose, being inspired can help light the fire going for it.

What I see is not what I get — it may be far more than that. And that is the phenomenon of perception. My vision is limited and seldom as objective as I like to make myself believe.

Having a purpose can prove to be inspiring as it helps me set goals and focus on the future and take action in the present, which reveals new interpretations of my reality.

17) It Takes Away Doubt and Immobilization

I’ve always dreamed of doing something big in my life, but I was too afraid to take the leap of faith. Most of my dreams were nothing more than that; dreams — amorphous ideas and thoughts that remained stagnant.

But inspiration crystallizes my dreams, brings them closer to realization, by spurring action, clearing out immobilization.

Inspiration blows away the cobwebs of doubt and lifts me up to lofty heights!

18) It Shines its Twinkling Light

When I need inspiration, I just look up at the heavens above with its shining lights (Pixabay image).

The stars have always inspired me. I feel they are an undiscovered mystery that will never completely reveal itself to me.

The stars fill me with such wonder and excitement that I can not help but gaze into their infinity. There is something about them that speaks to me; They speak the language of my soul and tell me stories of adventure and love.

19) It is Vast, Deep, yet Comes in Waves

I’m inspired by the waves of the ocean. The way they crash down on the rocks, silver-streaked foam filling up in an instant, but quickly receding. Yet still there remains a relentless force to push, push, push.

Inspiration may be in the way light passes through the waves onto shore in an almost magical fleeting moment in time. A spark of creativity may find its way to me when I least expect it.

20) It is the Endless Possibilities of Nature

Wow, just looking at natural beauty is inspiring (Pixabay image).

I am amazed at how beautiful things can be — inspiring sights, all. How one tree can hold a million different shades of green. How there are different shades of blue in the sky, and different shades of sunset orange and red.

I’m inspired by nature and God’s creation. Without this inspiration, there wouldn’t be a poem, a song, a drawing or a painting.

21) Inspiration is the Melody of Life

Music can be very inspirational and crucial to my balance and mental state of mind. The vocals and the lyrics of my favorite melodies touch some deep part of my soul, stirring something up inside of me.

The songs fill me with emotions, inspiring me to create my life’s music.

22) It is Tool at My Disposal, Accessible Through the Art of Rediscovery

Inspiration is a tool I possess; I just need to activate it. When I take the time to tap into my innermost desires, dreams and goals, and express them on paper, I allow myself to live life with intention. I can sum up that intention in one word: inspiration.

Inspiration lies in a pile of dusty notes, a quote faded by time, a yellowed journal from the last decade. I have to bring it from the back recesses of my mind to the front.

In the art of rediscovery, there is great inspiration.

23) It Flows from the Light and Love of Literature

Literature is a treasure trove of inspiration (Pixabay image).

I garner inspiration through reading. To hold a book in my hand, flip through its pages, and let the words flow into my mind is one of the most rewarding feelings in the world.

Books hold knowledge that can affect generations to come. They contain advice that only the wise could impart. The words within these books inspire me, fomenting changes in my life.

24) Beautiful Words I Write Inspire

Similarly, whenever I write, something happens to me. I explore my thoughts and feelings, and sometimes I get closer to my inner self, a dependable source of inspiration.

When I type, my fingertips fly on the keyboard, but my heart leaps higher with every letter. I find myself in awe of the unfurling pages that seem to dance before my eyes.

Inspiration comes from doing. I’m alive: I move forward: I look at the world and I build on the knowledge I already have.

Writing fits right in there. Writing forces me to think about what I already know and brings up new ideas as I fill in those blank spaces. It’s a comprehensive process of knowing myself, gathering information, and creating something new, marinating in those creative juices!

25) It is Love

Inspiration is love and vice versa (Pixabay image).

If you were to ask most people what the greatest motivational force in life is, they would probably say love. Love inspires; it motivates us to go above and beyond. It compels us to move and find a way.

I’m all too aware that love takes over my soul and emerges out in different forms, primarily through prose, poetry, or innovative ideas.

I’m now thinking out loud about my significant other:

“My love, you are as delicate as a rose petal under my fingertips. You are as radiant as the sun that shines through your figure. You quicken my breath and then take it away. I love you infinitely and eternally.”

Love like this can inspire anyone!

26) It is a Cosmic Flash

Inspiration is a cosmic force. A flash of light in the mind’s darkness. It comes when I least expect it or when I most need it.

Inspiration tells me to follow my heart. To know myself. It’s my muse, my guardian angel, my reason for being. It’s my creativity, my talent, my soul laying bare before the world.

These profound effects happen almost instantaneously for me, but can disappear just as quickly.

27) It is an Antidote to “Couch Potato Syndrome”

Inspiration is the spark that lights the flame of my imagination. It’s a catalyst that can shape ordinary objects into incredible creations.

Inspiration takes me on fresh adventures, broadening my view of the world, and heartening me on my journey.

Inspiration is the mental equivalent of smelling salts. It falls like manna from heaven. Suddenly, out of the blue, I get this great idea and I’m overwhelmed with the desire to make it work; to start making progress; to get things done.

I’m no longer content to be the proverbial couch potato.

I’m off to change my world (maybe the entire world) today… and not tomorrow!

Final Thoughts — What Inspires You?

Now I encourage you to write about your thoughts on inspiration — why does it happen, what makes it work, where does it come from?

For you, inspiration may come from the kindness of a stranger or a wave from a seagull that takes flight as you walk by.

Inspiration may come from noticing the little things and taking the time to stop and watch a flower blossom or listen to a bird sing.

Meditation, yoga, exercise, or any other activity may similarly propel you forward.

But the mere aspect of thinking about inspiration may serve as the impetus behind inspired action.

I hope this post inspires you to find your own source of inspiration, whatever it might be, wherever it might be (even on the couch).

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