Foundation for Success, Brick #2, laying your foundation.

Where do you find inspiration?

For me, it comes from absolutely everywhere, oftentimes out of nowhere. But if I had to identify one or two places, it may come from song lyrics, or through a photograph. and it happens everyday!

A quote taken from my book, Contained Beauty.

““it is through a photograph that dreams are realized and new perspectives are gained.””

— contained beauty, photographs, reflections and swimming pools

What inspires you?

By answering that question, you will find yourself one step closer to achieving your goals and realizing your dreams.

How might you find inspiration, that will lead you towards your passion or next big idea? Believe me when I say, inspiration and passion together will move you towards success and purpose, whatever that may mean to you.

Helping Others Through Writing Inspires Me

“Inspiration is just one brick, of many, that will help you to build a strong foundation.”

— Debbi DiMaggio

Writing and allowing my mind to stream freely, in addition to photographs and songs are my favorite ways I find inspiration. Grab a pen or your phone, start dreaming, and take notes.

Most mornings I am awaken by a thought, sometimes abruptly. What scares me, is when I awaken and I do not have a thought or something I want to write about ruminating at that very moment, I get a little worried. Crazy I know, but I worry that I won't have another idea or worse, writer's block. It must sound absurd, but it's true. The same way I feel when I take the stage to speak. Before I take the stage I fear I might forget everything and be at a loss for words. I am sure I'm not the only one. Usually what happens is my thoughts just flow, because I am sharing what I know. Public speaking is much easier when you are intimate with your subject matter so it doesn't require a lot of thought, as it is just who you are, what you do and what you know.

As I pop up, as I usually do, abruptly and wide awake, my first stop is always the kitchen. I walk in the dark, down the stairs and around the bend to capture the brightly lit up numbers on the microwave to see the time. Not too bad, 4 AM. I would have preferred to sleep in until at least 5:00 or 5:30, but thankfully it wasn't 2:30 AM like the day I returned from my trip to New York and LA. Today, 4 AM was a happy medium.

As I lay in bed, Adam on one side, Biscuit somewhere between my knees and my toes but always on my side of the bed, and if it is cold I will find him snuggled between my legs or nestled close to my stomach, and if really cold he may be nestled between my neck and shoulders. Today, just as any other day, I rise and sneak out of the room, quietly, as not to disturb Biscuit or I'll have to take him out and feed him before I can begin to write. And if I don't start writing right away I may lose my stream of consciousness and become more alert than I want to be. I prefer writing my thoughts when I am somewhere between half asleep and half awake, in a sort of altered or dreamy state.

This morning as I lay in the dark, eyes closed, or were they open, it was dark, I don't recall. I journeyed through the atmosphere, in my mind, seeking a word or quote of the day. On some days, I am awaken with a start, as if I were hit over the head with a hammer, and the words just flow.

As my thoughts flew around in my mind today I saw a billion stars or particles flowing around, and in a very short time the word INSPIRATION appeared. I stopped and started to think about the word... INSPIRATION. Then jumped out of bed and ran upstairs to our loft and plunked down on the Cloud. ( It's the best couch ever! RH HOME. )

A photograph, a piece of art, a brilliant or crumbling building, a person, a story, a movie or a play or just driving in my car with music blaring. An experience, travel, fashion, great design, architecture, a beautiful or interesting looking person, lyrics, an object, or a swimming pool, a book, a post or a quote... inspiration is everywhere.

I always say, I never met an idea I didn't want to explore, or a person I wasn't interested in talking to.

For me, writing and following my visions or ideas through to the end is something I do. If I have an idea or a thought I need to explore. It comes from being interested and curious. I've had people say to me, "I think all the things you are doing is really great, even though some think you're crazy." Another two people, one a man and one a woman almost verbatim said, "you have everything, why are you searching so hard, you are enough." And you may have asked that same question or had that thought yourself.

To that, I answer, I love the journey, I am curious, I am interested. Not everyone is, and that is okay too. But I am in love with learning and helping and crave the adventure of newness, change, and learning about new things I don't know or understand, or simply had not occurred to me.

I was chatting with someone who trains his people how to talk and interact with people. "Don't compliment their shoes, for instance, but ask how they are, ask them about themselves."

People want to be heard. This has surfaced quite a bit lately. It's natural for me as I love to learn people's stories. I am insatiably interested. The strangest thing happens when you show interest. I've shocked people simply by listening or asking or responding. It seems very natural to me, but most don't listen, people just want to be heard and don't really care about the listening to others unless it involves them. So when someone takes the time to listen, not only does it make them feel good, and important and that you care, but they are very grateful and sadly, they are surprised. If you do not have time to engage, shoot them a smile or click the Heart or Like button, and make their day. It's super easy!

I am a visual learner, and I write and teach visually. I see what I want to say, then I share what I see. Through sharing of my own experiences or the experiences of another, is the way I teach. I find the easiest way for me to learn is through examples and storytelling. You will also find that I talk with my hands. Take a look at my recent videos, you'll see what I mean. If you were to hold my hands down, words would stop coming out . I find when I am moving my hands it makes it easier to talk. It's as if I lose my train of thought and my mind goes blank if my hands are not waving. Go figure! (100% Sicilian, I am certain that is the reason.)

Inspiration can be found anywhere. Perhaps today it is not coming from a song, or a film, a book, a photograph or through the blank page on your screen, perhaps, it will be found in the stillness of a yoga pose, meditation, a nap or a dream. Sit back, close your eyes and open your mind and see what seeps in or strikes you like a lightening bolt.

Enjoy the journey.

I leave you with a passage in Contained Beauty, pg. 71.

what inspires you?

i look for inspiration to motivate me throughout my day.

sometimes i am looking for it and sometimes little bits of inspiration just pop up unexpectedly.

driving home one morning after dropping my son off a school, just minutes from home, a song on the radio touched my soul, "your book is still unwritten," the song prompted me to write to you.

"no one else can speak the words on your lips, drench yourself in words unspoken, live your life with arms wide open, today is where you book begins, the rest is still unwritten."

Natasha Bedingfield, Unwritten

it was a beautiful sunny morning - cool with a crisp blue sky. i will always remember that moment.

““Without inspiration and passion your foundation is weak. Once you discover what makes your heart race, your pulse beat and the blood rush through your veins you are on your way.””

— Debbi DiMaggio, Foundation For Success

I couldn't end without sharing what ignites passion and inspiration in me. One must first identify what inspires them and then look everyday to find it. I noted all the wonderful places I find inspiration, but what inspires me? I am truly inspired when I am helping another person. I can't help, to help, offer advice or connect people. I have this insatiable desire that I have no control over. It is something that fuels my fire. When I get an idea or I am helping, coaching, mentoring, connecting, weaving or conversing, that is when I am truly connected. Whether I am offering advice, teaching someone, engaged in charity work, or through my books, blogs, writing or social media, it's the best feeling ever -- to give. Sometimes, I feel I've shared too much, and at the exact time I begin to doubt myself I receive a Direct Message, Message on Facebook, Text, Email or Comment, that I have touched someone. Whether I conjured up a fond memory, inspired them to follow their dreams or give them hope for an idea of their own. Or simply reminded them of something they knew but had forgotten. To inspire another is what truly inspires me and is why I write and share and give and talk, and breathe. It's the only way I know how to live.