When I started this blog many months ago, I had a lot of ideas. I would compile them each week and write them down on a note in my phone, in a journal, or I would try to keep them fresh in my head. It was easy enough, and I was able to write week after week, no problem. Lately it has gotten a bit harder. But I’ve noticed that I’m not the only one who has trouble keeping up the same level of output or the same amount of enthusiasm for projects. There are many podcasts I’ve been listening to for years, that just don’t do it for me anymore. There are authors whose books don’t hold my attention like they have in the past. So this week I’m trying to figure out how to get inspired and how to stay inspired.

I’m sure you’ve all been to a restaurant where the menu never changes. Maybe it’s your favorite. Each time you go, you order the same thing, or have a rotation of dishes from which you choose. You know what you’re going to get, and it’s going to be good. There’s no doubt about that. But as time goes by, you get tired of ordering the same thing. What once was reliable, has now become predictable. You wish the menu would change, but that’s scary. What if it isn’t good? What if you can’t count on it being enjoyable? What if you need to find a new favorite?

The fear of the unknown holds us back. Yes, there is uncertainty with change, but think of the alternative. Life becomes boring, and we settle for less. The whole idea of reinventing ourselves, our careers, our relationships, is not natural for most of us. We hold ourselves back and get stuck in a rut. I’ve been telling my kids for the past few years that they need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Those uncomfortable spaces are where the most growth happens. And when we grow, we change. 

I’ve also tried to let my kids know that even though it may seem like they’re stuck, there’s always a way out. Our family has become notorious for making changes. Look how many times we’ve moved (10), it’s almost ridiculous, but at the same time it has made our lives dynamic. We’ve met so many people, lived in so many different types of houses and neighborhoods, and have a lot of stories to tell. 

If you look at your life, what areas have become ordinary, commonplace, or typical? Is that how you want to describe yourself, or any part of your life? Yes, there is comfort in some of that, but at the end of the day if you’re introducing yourself, are you happy saying: “Hi, I’m your average………. (50 year old woman, 25 year old guy, 33 year old mom) going through the motions of life? Yuck! I can’t think of anything more suffocating.

I know I’ve said this before, but sometimes I go back and reread some of my older posts. This week I am gathering inspiration from them. I’m not getting new ideas of course, but rather I’m getting the motivation to keep on writing. I loved writing for the magazine in Lynchburg, but now that I’m in Charlotte, I want to do something completely different. I want to keep writing the blog, but I also need to challenge myself. As much as I have enjoyed putting myself out there for you all, maybe it’s time I take this in a different direction. You’ve heard of the butterfly effect? Small changes can equal big results… stay tuned.