What Inspires You?

My wife and I took some time recently to go hiking in Sedona. It was an excellent few days of activity and relaxation. She took the photo above and asked me what inspired me. I gave the perfect husband answer and said, "You do"! I really wasn't trying to be flippant or cheesy as she really does inspire me to go beyond what I thought was possible and to be a better person than I might have been had I walked this journey called life, solo. Her question also got me thinking about other sources of inspiration in my life.

Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I enjoy running. This activity also inspires me and creates great thinking time. I love heading out in a new town with an idea I heard or a challenge that arose. The combination of exercise and an issue to kick around leads to some great thinking (at least I think it’s great!). My transition from a defined role in a school district, to a travelling consultant and author has allowed me the opportunity to connect with so many inspirational educators. I get to speak from my experience and context, which is familiar ground but hearing about their experiences and contexts is very motivating. Thanks to all who have filled my notebooks and memo pads with things to consider. It really does push me during the writing phase. Which, by the way, is another source of inspiration. Doing the research for the books I’ve crafted gets me into the thought processes of a lot of smart people. Working with co-authors stretches my thinking and inspires me to push further to refine my craft. The part I miss the most on the travels is the opportunity to interact with students. When I get the chance, I ask if it’s possible to have some time with students as they inspire me with how they process many of the changes that I think would have overwhelmed me when I was their age.

So, what inspires you? I’d love to hear your stories and have them added to the comments section below where I know they’ll inspire me, and I’m certain, any other readers of this post. Thanks for sharing!