At the beginning of summer, I wrote this blog post in which I set goals to think and create and be inspired, and to record it all as I went, in an effort to avoid the mundane. I set a few specifics on the recording of things (since I knew requiring that much of myself would make me step out of my normal routine) and then I just went for it. And I feel pretty good about the way my summer turned out!
First, I successfully avoided recording day-to-day boringness. This does not mean that I completely ignored the way my life revolves around routine, but rather that I chose to highlight parts of my routine that I particularly like or dislike--the highs and the lows, if you will. Also, I of course made an effort to emphasize the extra fun things I did this summer that I haven't done in past summers (a couple visits from friends/family, a trip to St. George, NSO, etc.). My journaling from this summer is much more about relationships, life lessons, and unique events than what I ate for lunch and how much time I sat at the piano.
Second, I successfully thought more (via learning new stuff) and created more! I finished more pages in my SMASH book, which always makes me feel crafty. I sent some cutesy extras to that one missionary. I mastered a new Rachmaninoff piece, and I added a few new staple meals to my repertoire (this is a big deal because I usually eat toast and burritos) (not at the same time though, don't worry). I taught myself a few new braids for my hair. I started making a quilt; you'll hear more about it when it's finished, of course. I wrote haikus and an essay in my journal, just for fun. I read some new books. Basically, I felt good about this one because I spent a lot of the summer jotting down things I wanted to learn about or do, and then I simply Googled them or did them. It sounds overly simple, but it kept me thinking and progressing all summer long, rather than feeling bored. Sweet.
Finally, I think I successfully opened myself up to inspiration from all different sources and for all different aspects of my life. For a really really long time, I've had this idea that other people are mostly obnoxious when they try to be inspiring and I need to just find inspiration from inner me or nature or something. I know it doesn't make sense, but I didn't want anything to do with "inspiring" people. However, I've had some serious changes in philosophy as of late, and now I've realized that I just need to stop assuming people's intentions and appreciate whatever they have to offer. (It's deep, I know.) I feel like I've mentioned this on here before, but the way it affected my summer is this: I now write down things other people say in church or school or anywhere so that I can remember and apply them, and I listen to advice from others more willingly. I also now have a folder in My Pictures called "inspire." and it's full of, well, pictures that are inspiring, haha. Mostly it houses quotes that I want to remember, color schemes I'm in love with, shapes I can use in my SMASH journal, or anything else that just strikes me for whatever reason. In short, I no longer refuse to think other people have cool ideas because HELLO, people are awesome and they do much cooler things with their time than I ever seem to come up with.
Ok that's the end of my summer success story. I am seriously so happy with the way this summer turned out!
And now as a Sunday edition addition (see what I did there??) to the inspiration topic: I have thought a lot lately about how people are so amazing and why they are so and what makes them like that and such. Ultimately, we each are who we are because we each have a spark of divinity in the deepest of our souls. That spark is the reason we create and hope and love and serve and participate in all manner of other godly activities. When I thought being inspired by others was inferior to direct inspiration from God, I was missing the point; the truth is that our loving Heavenly Father manifests His goodness to us individually through other people. Refusing to appreciate that goodness in others was a quick way to demonstrate that I wasn't open to inspiration, period, and it was damaging to all parts of me. I hope I can now continue to humbly learn from those around me in all aspects of life. Because HELLO, people are truly awe-some.
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| From my "inspire." folder, of course. I promise I didn't plan that in advance. |
Now fall is almost here. I'll be setting some new goals in the near future, but I'll definitely need some inspiration from y'all, so go be awesome folks! And thanks for reading this long thing. And I love you all. And I mean that. And happy Labor Day!
(Stay tuned for something kind of
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