Little bits of inspiration

I’d like to share with you a few inspirational finds from around the web:

This post by Kat about how your honest self shows up in your creations.  She writes:

“My art is there. It comes from that constant core, the “me” that’s me regardless of the name I’m using, the role I’m playing. The same self I get in touch with in the forest is the same self that I’m tapping in to when I create my art. It’s always there, always ready to be accessed. It just takes me finding a moment, finding ways to connect with it.”

And a similar topic by philosopher Alain de Botton as described in this Brain Pickings article by Maria Popova:

“The question of what art is has occupied humanity since the dawn of recorded history. For Tolstoy, the purpose of art was to provide a bridge of empathy between us and others, and for Anaïs Nin, a way to exorcise our emotional excess. But the highest achievement of art might be something that reconciles the two: a channel of empathy into our own psychology that lets us both exorcise and better understand our emotions — in other words, a form of therapy.”

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This post by Linda of 1,000 Mitzvahs about releasing emotions:

“There is a deep connection between two people who are speaking honestly about difficult experiences, but there is also a bond that is created when we relate to someone on that level. I have offered my hand and shoulder to someone during a difficult period of tears and many kind people have done the same for me. These emotional times have made me feel connected to these friends or colleagues in a way that a mere conversation really doesn’t. I also believe it is what helps us recognize and learn from each other through difficulties we all face in life.”

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A deeper look at sanctuary by Tania Wojciechowski on Mindfulist.com:

“There is magic in these places we think of as sanctuaries, places in which we have a strong sense of place – there is a dance that happens between ourselves, the place, and the sacredness of life. We go to these places to recharge, to find solitude, and to reconnect to ourselves – to refill our well of being.”

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We just received our first order from Primary, a new and simple kids clothing company. They offer high quality, simple and comfortable clothing (without itchy tags).  It started because two moms were frustrated at the inability to find simple and quality clothing at reasonable prices.  There are no middlemen or sales gimmicks. They offer 11 pieces in various color options. My daughter loves what we bought, especially the pjs, and I’m guessing we’ll place another order at some point.

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This article on Daily Good about what a miracle it is to have clean water and that we don’t need to walk hours and hours to find a water source. 10% of our planet does.

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I love David and his thoughtful articles on Raptitude and this recent post doesn’t disappoint.  “How to Take a Day Off” describes something I don’t know if I’ve ever done:

“I paid little attention to the advance of time. I suspended all aspirations to shaping the future. The only goal was to enjoy the setting and characters of every moment I found myself in, which is refreshingly easy when you’re not trying to get anywhere else.” 

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Elizabeth Gilbert’s article for the Chopra Center, “The Final Obstacle is Us.”

“Many of the big external obstacles (political, legislative, cultural) have been cleared for us by the great and brave women who came before us. We stand on their shoulders and we should be grateful. But now we are left to battle the lingering prejudices in our own minds that convince us we are not worthy—not good enough, not strong enough, not talented enough, not brave enough.”

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David Brooks’ Sunday NYT opinion article, “The Moral Bucket List.” “I came to the conclusion that wonderful people are made, not born — that the people I admired had achieved an unfakeable inner virtue, built slowly from specific moral and spiritual accomplishments.”

What’s been inspiring YOU lately?