Inspiration Knocks, But It Doesn't Knock Us Out

"Inspiration exists but it has to find us working." ~Picasso

The following excerpts are shared from a particularly inspiring book, The Confident Creative, by Cat Bennett. Prepare to be inspired by...inspiration.

"How do we recognize inspiration? How do we know it isn't just another wobbly thought? Inspiration comes from the realm of pure potential, from stillness. It darts between our thoughts. Inspiration seems to come out of nowhere and take us to a new place. We recognize it as true, even if only for an instant. We feel excited, humbled, and happy. We want to take action...

Sometimes an inspiration comes, and we wonder if we can do it. We've never done anything like it before. We think this one must be meant for someone else- someone more advanced than we are. If inspiration comes to us, it's meant for us and not for the dude next door. Inspiration knows who we are; it knows our name....

Sometimes, we can't believe what the inspiration is asking of us. We think of a hundred reasons why we can't take action. Our excuses can seem so reasonable: we aren't skilled enough, we haven't the time. We're afraid. Procrastination is like wearing leg irons in the 100-yard-dash: we'll be limping the whole way once we start. It's better to jump when the starting gun is fired. Just leap up and go...

Sometimes, though, the well runs dry. Nothing seems to be coming. We're working and working, running in cirlces. It's time for a rest - time to let go. Everything in life moves in cycles - our creative life too. Sometimes we need to recleaim ourselves, find our center again. Breathe. See what interests us now. 

We can't see inspiration when we're stressed or straining, when our mind is cluttered with debris. It may be knocking, but we won't hear it...

Inspiration knocks, but it doesn't knock us out. It doesn't force itself upon us. It waits patiently for our attention and never gives up on us; it's we, who so often give up on it. We don't believe it's intended for us, or that we're able enough to act upon it and do the wild and wondrous things it asks us to do. We can turn our backs on it and knock ourselves out for years, insisting it's not possible that we can dance or draw or sing, even though these are the very things we feel inspired to do.  Inspiration unmasks our wounded ways, so that we can heal and become whole again. Not all inspriations are huge, but they're all fantastic. In time, we might even realize that every inspired thing we do, big or small, is a gift to ourselves, and to others" (pp. 95-98)

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See Beautiful was an inspiring dream. It was scary to start. Taking the first plunge of signing up for a blog and domain name was scary, but it became an overflowing space for inspiration and a space to offer inspiration and hopefully inspire. To this end, we are so grateful for the kind blog awards we've been given over the past week. 

The "One Lovely Blog Award" was so kindly given to us by Rose Water.

 

And the Inspirational Blog Award was thoughtfully shared by Marie, at The Colour of Our Skin.

Being bequeathed these awards means we get to bestow them on other bloggers we find inspiring. In doing so, we'd like to thank each of them for the inspiration they offer so many on a regular basis (p.s. Blog Award Winners, visit the links of the previous blogs to read directions for how to celebrate your award, since we only write from a third person perspective, we can't fulfill the award directions...you can though):

WINNERS OF BOTH the "MY LOVELY BLOG AWARD" &"INSPIRATIONAL BLOG AWARD":

Our View From Wein

The Yoakum Crew & A Foster Dog...or 2

Sugar the Golden Retriever

Rub Some Dirt On It

Rosie Molinary

Keeping Up With the Jones

Four Leaf Clover

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