In this particular daydream, I am hiking through the woods, picking a bouquet of delicate wild flowers from the side of the path. The sun is shining down and lifts a fragrant heat wave from the forest floor, redolent with pine. Kneeling, I inhale the heady scent of each flower.. and in that scent is the wind, soft currents or tremorous gales. In those tender petals, I can feel the patter of rain or the downpour that soaked and bent each flower’s head. I marvel that these were the forces that came together to create such gracefully fragile and wildly beautiful flowers. Without adversity this bouquet wouldn’t exist.. and neither would the person I am today.

Like wild flowers, I gather my bouquet every day.. my inspiration comes from so many unexpected and unusual places. I think we only need be in a heightened state of awareness, open to the inspiration that surrounds us.

There are a a few bloggers I admire, and when one wrote about choosing her “word” for 2015.. I was immediately intrigued. I followed her link to a website that I now adore. First in my bouquet would have to be Susannah Conway, she is a like-minded spirit, but her work takes everything I love to a whole other level. Once you sign in, she sends you a new email each day that takes you through a series of exercises that help you find your “word”. For instance, on Day one, she gives you a meditative visualization soundtrack and, almost always, she gently finishes with “and then put it aside for now. I’ll meet you back here tomorrow.” She plants a thought, ideas that simmer in you for a day and a night’s dreaming until the next exercise. There is an online Facebook group where others share their “words”, but I’ve not explored that much yet. I have downloaded her “Unravelling the World Ahead” workbook, did I mention it’s beautifully drawn with mandala images as well? You know the artist in me loves that! If you’re looking for a new focus for 2015, I love what she’s done.. and it’s all free.

Just after deciding I needed to discover my “word” for 2015, out of the blue a friend told me he saw the word “correction” in my life. He believes that a “correction” is already happening.. and all I have to do is get out of the way and allow it to unfold. I love that imagery.. will “correction” be my word? I haven’t decided yet.

Next to go into my “basket of flowers”, would be my brother. Jack is such an inspiration for me, in the past few years he’s gone from sedentary to becoming an athlete, he’s incredibly fit.. in fact, he’s a machine! He had only two words of inspiration for me.. “Every day.”  I responded, “So I just have to do something every day?” and he repeated with emphasis, “Every.Day”. Such a simple concept, but the push I needed to take my work outs to a whole other level. I began with 15 minutes walking on the treadmill and now running for 30. Like Jack said, start small and soon you’ll want to do more.. but just make sure it’s “every day”. Working out in some form every day is motivating in itself, the endorphins become addicting. Did I mention, I’ve never been happier?

My diet is so much healthier now, our whole family is eating “clean” and I’ll admit it’s so much quicker to prepare dinner when you’re thinking simple: protein, salad, veggie and brown rice or sweet potatoes. I’ve lost 7 pounds just by giving up processed sugar and foods. For some this might get boring, but I love how I feel when I eat like this. Unfortunately, that means a dearth of food related blog posts, but I’m loving this new path.. it’s so worth it! I’ll still be sharing some healthier recipes, just not as frequently as before. I love seeing the outer transformation of my body.. to go with my inward transformation!

The next flower in my basket was another kind of motivation. I was challenged with a question a few weeks ago.. “How do you find your clients?” and my response was a timid.. “Well, they come to me.” In business, as most of you can deduce, this is not a great “plan”, in fact it isn’t one at all. From years of blogging, I’ve learned how to refine and hone my blog photography and writing. With shock, I realized that I’ve never applied this same practice to my work. I began wondering, what could happen if I put the same effort into my business? I was then told that I needed to be 10% better than the others in my line of work, so I’m on a mission now. From branding, my website, to my marketing strategies and listing presentations.. I’m determined to be better at what I do. All this.. from someone I met very briefly and I never had the opportunity to thank.. so.. thank you! You just never know when or where inspiration will suddenly appear.

What motivates and inspires me is probably different from others, but give me a challenge and I’ll dare to prove you wrong. Nothing motivates me more than someone telling me I can’t do something.. or being dismissive of my abilities. I realized that the personal trainer I wanted was more than I was willing to spend, so I’ve been researching my own weight lifting routines and can’t wait to get the same results myself.. well, if I even get half-way there, I’d be happy! If you think back, you’ll find there were events or comments that motivated you, be aware of what those were and how they affected you.

Next, the flower of visualization.. have I told you that almost everything I’ve ever asked for I’ve received? { well.. except the lottery… } Thinking back, it’s almost surreal, but if I simply say “I need a new listing.” then I receive a phone call within a few days. That doesn’t mean I don’t have to do the backup work.. but frequently, if I verbally express what I’d like, more often than not, it seems to happen.

As a child, my brothers and I were lined up for a kid’s show at the local theater. A woman in line gave us a dirty look.. I think she thought we were too old for that sort of event. I remember thinking, “I hope we win a prize, that will show you”. Do you know.. we did win, not one, but three prizes! Out of an entire theater full of people! He drew three prizes in succession and each of us went up on stage.. what unbelievable odds? Talk about visualizing!

So.. I’ve decided it would be foolish NOT to try visualizing with a more deliberate, mindful approach. I’ve been reading a book about Visualization and, whether by meditation in yoga or during those quiet moments before falling asleep at night, I plan to visualize more often.

And this quote.. is one of my most loved:

Finally, my bouquet is finished and filled with the people in my life:

My family..  

who keep me accountable by sharing their workout routines and recipes and setting examples in their healthy lives by running, playing hockey and cycling. My parents.. who send me texts of love and encouragement when I need it most.

And my friends who lift me up emotionally when I have nothing left in my heart..

and who see something in me that I can’t.

My girlfriend told me just this morning that my blog helped her get through a very difficult time in her life last year. Every morning she would read Just a Smidgen and it helped her get through the day. Well, you have to know that made me cry.

I think, if all of us inspire just one person in our lives, to be better, to feel better, to do better.. then that’s what it’s all about.

If you’re reading this.. you’re already in my bouquet.. and I hope I’m in yours..