So a few places I’ve been finding inspiration lately.
First, and especially since our move, I’ve been feeling pretty inspired by my cat Ella. She has this arthritis in her back legs that clearly bothers her and makes it hard for her to move around, but she’s so sanguine about it. She keeps doing all the things she wants to do, even though it maybe takes her longer or is clumsy. I don’t just want to be more like that; I have to be more like that. I mean, if my cat can handle life with such grace, can’t I?
Another place I’ve been finding inspiration is at my piano. For several months, I abandoned my practice book so I could focus on learning Erik Satie’s First Gymnopédies, which, after hours upon hours upon hours of work, I’m kind of starting to get. So I thought maybe it was time to go back to my practice book, and what I found is that while I was doing all that work on the Satie, I became slightly less horrible at sight reading music. This isn’t to say I’m good at sight reading, by any means. I play a lot more from the sounds in my head and what my hands have memorized than I do from those marks on the page, but, still, that teeny tiny wedge of improvement makes me feel optimistic and energized. It reminds me that work itself can be inspiring. Seeing an effort I’ve make produce a positive result–even a small one–opens up my mind and makes me feel like things are possible. It’s also a good reminder that most big changes involve a lot of miniscule steps and improvements.
Last, I get a lot of ideas from reading the newspaper, particularly the business section of the New York Times. I don’t even understand a good third (or maybe even half) of what they write about there, but it always makes me think–sometimes reinforcing my ideas and sometimes forcing me to see the world from an entirely different perspective. I especially love their Sunday Corner Office series, which is a weekly Q&A type chat with a manager about what he or she does. I’ve been reading the column for at least three years now, and the bias is definitely toward innovation and more progressive theories, and because the tone is conversational, none of it seems like anything I couldn’t do myself if I were so inclined. It’s also really interesting to learn about all these different companies and what they do. It’s a good counterbalance to the articles that talk about how much people are suffering in our current economy (which, for a librarian, are their own brand of inspiring–or maybe motivating is a better word).
I’m going to try to keep posting about things I find inspiring for a while. I’d love to hear what some of you are inspired by, too.
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7 Comments
So glad that you are moved by cats and music, that your week has been filled with accomplishments and inspiration!
I am inspired by kindness, truth, and talent, among other things. Lots of simple, genuine things.
I want to tell everyone what my inspiration is, but I don’t think I can without sounding…dramatic? crass? opportunistic? Basically I have something I’m trying to use a motivator. More often than not it serves to kick my ass into the right direction. I feel I’ve drifted from it some and keep promising myself I’ll frame it and put it up on the wall, but for many reasons I don’t. I just keep it near me for now. I’ll say this much: it’s a front page from the NY Times.
Little Willow, Your optimism and work ethic are inspiring to me always. I also love simple, genuine things.
Jeffrey, I am a big fan of putting the kinds of things that motivate and inspire me up on the wall. I also like to put up things that remind me where I came from, so I don’t get too big for my britches.
And I have no doubt you’ll keep going in the right direction, even if you take a little pause every now and again.
The Rochester Business Journal has been doing a decent job of finding and featuring creative and innovative entrepreneurs. I very often find people there that I end up contacting for one thing or another. For example, the women who have started the Rochester Brainery are amazing! If you haven’t explored their website, or visited their space you really ought to. I have been drawing a lot of inspiration lately from the folks at Rochester Makerspace, who have boundless energy, enthusiasm, and crazycool ideas.
Patty, I should probably be reading RBJ. How are you reading it? Like do you read the library copy or have a subscription or what? I find that if I don’t have my own personal subscription to something at home, I never read it because work is just too wacky for sustained reading, and my mind is going in too many other directions. I do sometimes get to read, say, a study at work, something like the Patron Profiles series (which, yet again, thanks for pointing me to).
I find I have a hard time reading at other libraries, too, because too many people know me, and I can’t be anonymous.
I could try harder with RBJ. When I look at it, it always seems interesting.
I did read about the Brainery in the D&C and am interested to see their first course offerings. I was thinking I’d have to take a class (their space is right in my neighborhood), and I think it could be fun to teach a class sometime, too. Expand my repertoire a little.
Please hug Ella for me.
I will! I try to give her even more attention every day, because she really is just the best sort of cat.