Or, as an old Italian lady would say, "Ay, ay, ay!" (I know, I'm not a humor writer... I won't give up my day job.)
Some days, I can't keep my words to ONE, here on this blogging challenge. And today is one of those days. I see inspiration, initiative and integrity as working very closely together in my life. Let me tell you how...
Inspiration is the spark that grabs me, on a gut level, and awakens my senses. It's many of the things I share on this blog: my love for my dear family and friends; creating and enjoying flavorful and sometimes even healthful food; daily renewal of grace and mercy through connection with my Creator; my attraction to things of color, to nature and our garden; my love for the handmade and crafty; and deep appreciation for words that stir my heart.
Initiative is when I gather up the inspiration, make a plan and move forward. If I don't discipline myself to take action, inspiration might rain down on me, flood me, and it's quite possible that nothing will ever come of it. At that point, it's all pretty pictures on Pinterest, right? I have to make plans, make lists, prioritize and reprioritize and then... step out! It's all nothing without that first step.
Integrity is doing the right thing with my initiative. Action without the compass of my values is just movement. Action with integrity? That's the ticket; and... that's also where I can get hung up on small, petty, silly motives, motives that have more to do with me than the best outcome, motives that speak to ego and self. Setting self aside, and reminding and aligning with my core values is the only way to get past the nonsense and to the heart of what matters: What do I choose to act on, and how does it reinforce what inspires me?
What inspires you? What gets you up and going? What guides the decisions about your actions?
What's this A-Z business about? Check out my kick-off post. And stay tuned for the random joy and nonsense I concoct during the month of April!
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