Where should we really look to find our inspiration?

                                      Inspiration


     It seems everywhere we look these days books, magazines, and a variety of experts are selling us the secrets to true inspiration. The "Chicken Soup" book series has mushroomed so that there is now a version of the book for practically everyone. There is "Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul", "Chicken Soup for the Writers’ Soul", "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul", and on and on. Almost every magazine on the newsstand has at least one article geared toward helping you find true happiness. In one issue of Good Housekeeping, the cover boasted "The Happiness Report! Surprising news on how to make your spirit soar." Of course, the next article was "I Lost 20 lbs! How 10 moms took it off." I’d say that would be a sure-fire way to make a good many spirits soar! Another article, "Make More $$$ . . . A Sexy New Savings Bond", rounded off what the magazine had to offer. Perhaps I’m way out of touch. I fail to see how a savings bond can be sexy. But all of the articles had one thing in common – they tempted you with promised happiness. If I only knew the secret, or lost some weight, or found a better way to handle my money, I’d be happy. If only . . .

     May I ask - if it’s that easy to be inspired, what are we missing? With so many experts showing us the way - with so many good books already published on the topic and more coming every day, why do we often feel we are lost? Children are abused, neglected, and misguided. Marriages are empty and very apt to fail. Jobs are unfulfilling. Life is simply not what we thought it would be. The answers are everywhere, but we just can’t seem to make them work. For those to whom this article does not apply, here is your chance to sit back and smile. You already know the secret. For the rest of us, here goes . . .

     I believe we are elephants. We are strong, intelligent creatures who are conditioned to live as we are living. Have you ever been to a circus and wondered how they tied up those massive animals with nothing more than a length of rope? Did you know the elephant could very easily break that rope and find freedom – at least, for a while? Of course you know that. The problem is, the elephant doesn’t. You see, when the elephant was very young, it was tied with a sturdy logging chain. Despite its best efforts and hours of struggling, it could not break free. Over time, it accepted the fact that it could not escape when it was tied. Thus adult elephants are held fast by mere ropes. Because they believe they are.

     Finding happiness involves believing we can. Many times, we are the biggest roadblocks stopping us from having whatever we desire. We don’t think we can do it, we don’t think we deserve it, we believe we will fail because we’ve failed in the past. We are like the elephant, trapped by false beliefs – yet the whole world is ours for the taking! I have a sign on my desk that reads "I can only be what I give myself permission to be." It’s a Cherokee saying and I read it daily. Believe, allow yourself to dream, allow yourself to achieve. If you’re really looking for inspiration, there are roadmaps to it everywhere you look. But to really find it, the best place to begin looking is inside of yourself.