Problem: You know what you “SHOULD” do.
Yet you can’t seem to do it.
Diagnosis: Deficiency of Inspiration.
Rx: Get clear what you really love.
Let me ask you a question. Do you sometimes find it a struggle to eat well, do your exercise, or deal with the obvious stresses in your life? You tell yourself you “should” do these things. You blame it on lack of time, money, or willpower. I don’t think that’s what’s missing at all. My diagnosis is adeficiency of Inspiration.
Here are the symptoms of a lack of inspiration.
What you know about improving your health has little power left in it.
Your wants for the body and the aliveness that you know you could possess have weakened into mere memories.
Your great ideas and plans have degenerated to “Shoulds.”
You lack the power to animate, to bring life to, the daily activities that are the foundation of your health and happiness: To get up in the morning, to exercise, to prepare wholesome meals.
In short, what you “know” does not inspire you, enthuse you, or motivate you anymore.
Now here is how inspiration shows up:
Inspiration is evidenced in Going for it, Living your deepest yearnings, Living with heart.
Living your dreams rather than making excuses.
Living rather than thinking about living.
Inspiration empowers you to make the changes you most want to make.
It is your power to heal.
Can you see how valuable it is for you to be inspired? Inspiration is THE foundational skill for conscious healing. It permeates every aspect of your life: your words, diet, movements, relationships, career. Inspiration is the invisible “something” that is the very life of your life. Consider this dictionary definition of inspiration and enthusiasm.
Inspire: Latin: In + spirare: In Spirit
Enthuse: Latin: En + Theos: In God
In most people inspiration is like the wind. It seems to come and go beyond their control. In fact, the only inspiration most people experience regularly is born of having what they DON’T want: being overweight, sick, in debt, or in conflict. Most clients who come to see me do not know that inspiring oneself is a skill which can be learned every bit as much as can dancing, sewing, or speaking a foreign language.
Self inspiration is one of the oldest arts and sciences in the history of mankind. In our culture, however, most people know little of this skill. Ask yourself this question. “If you took half an hour or even an entire day would you be able to reach a state of genuine and rich enthusiasm and inspiration?” If not, then read on. Have I got a gift for you! With regular practice you can become more competent at this skill just as you can any other. You can learn to turn up your level of inspiration at will. One way to begin is to start noticing who and what inspires you. Then follow that path. Your heart will not lead you astray.
Inspiration lives at the center of you, in the realm of yourdeepest wants. Much of my work is to guide you into this arena of yourself where you can rediscover what you most value. As you become more clear about what you most value, you automatically begin to choose the actions, foods, people, and books which are in alignment with what you value. Why? Because the WHY that is motivating these actions is nothing less than YOU YOURSELF. Your reasons have become YOUR reasons. This isn’t fake. Your motivation won’t be “I should.” You won’t be trying to coerce or bribe yourself with guilt or pep talks. You will simply act because you have reasons that are genuinely important to you. As you come to know more clearly what you want, you expend less effort “trying” to “be good.” You simply do what you want because it is clear to you that is what you really want to do.
You won’t be as easily stopped by what is hard. Things that are hard to do will still be just as hard. You know, those things such as eating less sugar, doing spinal exercises, and preparing food ahead of time. Your focus will shift away from somehow making the hardness go away. Rather your focus will become accessing the power, the inspiration in you to take on whatever is necessary regardless of whether it is difficult. My work is to help you overcome your difficulties not by trying harder, but by coaching you to create a vision of a healthier you that is so attractive and compelling to you that the hardness of “hard stuff” diminishes in the light of your inspiration.
Reduce your struggle. Back off on pushing yourself. Practice the way of power and joy. Develop the daily practice of asking yourself what it is that you really value. What kind of person do you want to be? What do you want to do? What do you want to have?
If you would like practical instruction on cultivating inspiration, ask me for several articles I have available on this subject. Simply follow the instructions and see if you do not find yourself more inspired to improve your Health. If you practice the exercises in these articles your inspiration and motivation for Health will grow as surely as practicing physical exercise will grow your muscles. With practice you will become so clear on what you want and so motivated, that it will feel painful for you to NOT change.
The fact is we ALREADY are feeling pain and anxiety only we mistakenly attribute our problems to something being wrong with our body. The root of our problem is in our soul, not our body. Our body is simply responding to the way it is being used and that use is determined by our desires. Our present desires for short term pleasure and convenience are weak and stupid. They are readily displaced when we commune with our soul and discover our deep passions for what is good, beautiful and true. Then the strength of our true passion infuses us and enables to do what previously we felt unable to do. The quest for Health leads to your soul. Search there for what you really love, for what juices you and drink of that pure desire. It will infuse you with inspiration, the power to fulfill your dreams.
“Let the Beauty you love be what you do.” Rumi