The reason I created Brick Sandwich was to provide a place where women could be empowered through common sense and humor. The goal of each post is to make you think or make you laugh. Hopefully, on most days, it will do both. However, there is still a lot of work to do. There are still not enough of us going after what we really want and far too many settling for what we think we have to accept.
Brick Sandwich’s foundation rests on a simple truth: You can do whatever you want.
In the pursuit of your dreams, there are times when you get discouraged or complacent. I know I do. Whether something didn’t work out or you feel like it’s taking too long, you need a push. You can’t just get inspired “one good time” and then go on to achieve the life you’ve always wanted to live in one fell swoop. I wished it worked that way, I really do, but you have to keep seeking inspiration to propel you forward when the thought of giving up seems like an option, when you & I both know it is not.
This list is by no means exhaustive, but here are five great sources for inspiration:
1) Expressing gratitude. Absolutely, hands down the best place to start. It is impossible to get inspired when you are thinking about everything in your life that’s wrong. To quote Oprah Winfrey: “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
2) Being charitable. Giving your time or treasure to others in need is a great way to take the focus off of yourself. It's pretty simple: doing good feels good. Feeling good brings you back to your center, making it easier to continue on your journey with purpose. An excellent organization that I support is Women for Women International. It's mission is to help women in war torn countries like DR Congo, Sudan, Bosnia and Iraq. Allowing myself to think about the conditions other women are living in these countries snaps me out of my funk immediately and gets me back to work.
3) Any website or magazine that supports the expression of ideas & the development of the human spirit:
Brick Sandwich’s foundation rests on a simple truth: You can do whatever you want.
In the pursuit of your dreams, there are times when you get discouraged or complacent. I know I do. Whether something didn’t work out or you feel like it’s taking too long, you need a push. You can’t just get inspired “one good time” and then go on to achieve the life you’ve always wanted to live in one fell swoop. I wished it worked that way, I really do, but you have to keep seeking inspiration to propel you forward when the thought of giving up seems like an option, when you & I both know it is not.
This list is by no means exhaustive, but here are five great sources for inspiration:
1) Expressing gratitude. Absolutely, hands down the best place to start. It is impossible to get inspired when you are thinking about everything in your life that’s wrong. To quote Oprah Winfrey: “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
2) Being charitable. Giving your time or treasure to others in need is a great way to take the focus off of yourself. It's pretty simple: doing good feels good. Feeling good brings you back to your center, making it easier to continue on your journey with purpose. An excellent organization that I support is Women for Women International. It's mission is to help women in war torn countries like DR Congo, Sudan, Bosnia and Iraq. Allowing myself to think about the conditions other women are living in these countries snaps me out of my funk immediately and gets me back to work.
3) Any website or magazine that supports the expression of ideas & the development of the human spirit:
- TED (Technology. Entertainment. Design) – Ideas worth spreading. http://www.ted.com/. This is an incredible website that features videos of all kinds of folks speaking on any number of topics. My favorite part of this site is the inspirational talks. I love the one with Gary Vaynerchuk talking about doing what you love without excuses.
- Mr. Self Development - This is a site I only recently discovered. He has some pretty provocative writing that makes you think. Sometimes you need that mental ass kickin' to get your butt in gear. So, far my favorite post is 7 Profound Lessons From Ralph Waldo Emerson.
- fear.less magazine - This free (!) online magazine specializes in telling the stories of people who have faced and overcome fear. Their stories can make your own challenges seem trivial; when someone has to learn to walk and talk again, or survived Rwandan genocide, getting up off your completely able and free ass seems doable, right?
4) Your family tree. One of my ancestors came to America from Johannesburg, South Africa in the early 1900s, to escape apartheid. He arrived by himself, his brother having decided to go to England. He must have been afraid and unsure during his journey. It was probably even scarier after he arrived. He came here and made a life for himself. He met and married my great-grandmother and they had eleven children – one of them was my grandfather. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to leave the home you know (even one marred by injustice) and take a chance in a brand new country. When I think of all the outright obstacles and indignities that he must have faced being an African man in America during that time I am in awe that he managed to flourish. It helps to remember that with all of the opportunities afforded to me, I should pursue my goals with everything I have. Not doing so is an insult to all of the reasons he left South Africa.
5) Music. Always a crowd favorite. Highly subjective, but it’s the best. It provides a soundtrack to whatever mood we are in. We use music to support our feelings - if I’m sad, I listen to Al Green and complaint rock, if I’m happy I listen to pretty much everything else. But, when I need a boost, these are some of my favorites:
- #1 Stunna by Birdman Feat. Mannie Fresh, Juvenile, Lil' Wayne
- Won't Back Down by Tom Petty
- All About The Benjamins by Puff Daddy
- Southern Fried Intro/Blow It Out by Ludacris
Realizing your dreams is a relentless pursuit. It can’t be a movie montage, where you reach your intended destination in a matter of moments, while kicking ass, the wind blowing through your hair, a building blowing up in the background while you walk away from it all like a cool breeze. It can take months, years, and even decades to get where you truly want to be. Most days, I feel like nothing can stop me and victory is assured, but there are a few times where I just want to let it all go. If you don't try for anything, you can't be disappointed, right? Then I remember how badly I want to realize my goals and the hunt is back on.
Inspiration is the fuel I use to stoke the fire in my belly. It's always out there, waiting to give us the push we need, just when we need it.
On another note: I'll be at the Long Beach Comic Con, October 29-31 at the Long Beach Convention Center, at a table in Artist Alley with my husband, Ray Anthony Height, a professional comic book artist. If you can, stop by and say hello!
