Take a bow

Take a bow because you are beautiful.

Take a bow because you inspire many.

Take a bow because you matter.

Take a bow because your head should not be bowed.

Marianne Williamson was quoted as saying ‘we ask ourselves – who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of life. Your playing small doesn’t save the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of life that is within us. It is not in some of us, it is in every one [of us]. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others’.

This is a beautiful quote for me as I reflect on the women I saw at the SAWOMENG Gala dinner. Such inspiration, such passion, such dedication, and such vision. It was truly amazing and I want to take a moment to honour you all. And so take a bow all women!

As I sat there I felt inspired to write an article about inspiration and how we take it with us when we get on with our lives. When the party dress is off, the dimmed lights are brightly lit and the beautiful flowers are no longer placed in the centre of the table. I don’t know about you but I tend to grapple with inspiration that melts away like a mystical fog in the sun. So how do we continue to be inspired long after we’ve left the source? To start I went out to look for a meaning of inspiration - what does it actually mean to be inspired?

I found this interesting definition of inspiration on the web.  ‘The act of inspiring or breathing in: breath; the drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm; the opposite of expiration’. Huh? As weird as it sounds I like this definition. The act of breathing in…has a nice ring to it and it made me really start to think! Breath is one of our most essential needs. You will very quickly loose focus and life if you stop breathing. So in a sense inspiration can be seen as our life force and focus. So does this mean that I breathe in what I see in the other person? On some level that feels right… I remember the times I have seen or been inspired by someone or something. It has felt like I breathed in that life force. That inspiration.  So how can we apply it to our lives?

When you know what it is you want for yourself and from your life, take some time and enjoy making a list of people and places that you draw your breath from...

It could be a list as you might draw and learn from different people/ places for different aspects of your life. Make notes on what it is about it/them that inspires you.

What do you like about them, what do you wish you had that they have, what about them or it does your breath get taken away by?

Is it your grandmothers’ rural home, or how she walks into a room and almost lights it up? Someone’s quiet confidence? is it Rome with her cobble stoned streets and her flowing fountains?

By doing this you can see for yourself that whatever it is you are reaching for, is achievable as you can relate it to that person or place. Take note to limit your list though because remember this is the act of breathing and so note only those things that truly take away your breath.  

And then always remember that there are people whom YOU inspire. Yes, that’s right. Every one of us has someone who looks up to them. It could be someone in the township where you grew up, your kids, your nieces and nephews, your colleagues. They are there and they are sitting and thinking ‘wow, how does she do that?’ or ‘If she can do it I can too’.  With this comes a responsibility so be cautious with how you conduct yourself. Note: not for others benefit but for yourself. This doesn’t mean that you will not make mistakes. By all means please do, mistakes give us an opportunity to learn. All you need to know that you have your own truth that guides your life, talents, experiences and inspiration. Live your truth and inspire.

My list of moments and people who take my breath away is expanding – Thank you SAWOMENG and to your five years of existence. Well done. It was so evident that as you shine you let others shine too!

To your brilliance,

Val