Work in Progress

Inspiration

I love to write. It's exhilarating to take a tiny little spark and nurture it into something with the potential to touch someone else. Inspiration can strike at any time. Sometimes an idea just hits me and tempts me to chase it to see what happens. At other times, I see or hear or experience something and begin wondering 'what if...' Two years ago I had the pleasure and privilege of hearing John Irving, Stephen King and J K Rowling speak at Radio City Music Hall. It was fascinating to hear how differently each if them follows through on those sparks of inspiration. Irving is a meticulous planner - he needs to know what will happen before he begins writing. Jo (who is my personal hero) is also a meticulous planner but at times she allows the story to change and develop while remaining commited to the ending which she planned from the earliest days of writing Harry's story. King likened his writing process to finding a piece of string and following it to see where it leads. As someone who loves to write but has never taken a real writing course, I loved learning that the process can and should be different for each writer but that, at the end of the day, it's about taking that piece of string and seeing what it might become.

My writing process is somewhere between King and Rowling. I need to know a lot about my characters before I commit them to the page (or screen) - history, personality, motivations - but when I write I find that they often behave in unexpected ways. They take me into their world and show me their story and they often inspire other ideas along the way.

So what does all of this have to do with fitness and a healthy lifestyle? Quite a bit, actually. When I exercise, I take inspiration from my trainer, from the people working out around me, sometimes even from what I'm seeing on the TV's while I'm on the Arc Trainer. (Superhero movies are GREAT motivators, FYI, even if you can't hear what they are saying!) More importantly, I take inspiration from my own successes. Each small win inspires the next goal and the next, like bricks in the foundation of my new and improved body. I love that idea! (LOL - now I am quoting my trainer!)

What I hadn't really thought about was the idea that I might be an inspiration to someone else.

Apparently, I am. My success is becoming known around the gym. It's kind of exciting to know that my determination, my hard work and my newfound ability to push beyond the tough stuff is helping other people to dig deep and find that within themselves. I kind of like being April's poster child. It helps motivate me to keep pushing, to keep working hard, to keep trying new things. And each time I have a great workout or feel that 'runner's high' or leave the gym feeling strong and empowered, I am inspired to take that next step.

What's interesting, is that the inspiration that I receive at the gym often presents me with unexpected gifts. An increase in energy means more time and enhanced creativity. It's an amazing benefit and a testimony to the incredible power of achieving balance. When I feel inspired and creative in one area, it seeps into all of the others. I wasn't expecting that but I am delighted to embrace it.