Inspiraelevation

Where Do I Begin?

April 29th, 2022
There is nothing like knowing what you want in life.

And even more significant is walking in the understanding of why you are doing what you do. This is the soul of living a purpose-driven life.

But other than the questions of when, how, and what if, there is always the question of where.

Where do I begin?

Image by PixLoger from Pixabay
1. Lao Tzu once said, ” the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step..”
2. Martin Luther King spoke of staircases and how faith is taking a step, although you can’t see where that staircase will lead.
3. The Nike Brand exclaims to just do it.
And all these are so pointedly true.

But That’s Not Clear Enough!

For some, it still doesn’t quite answer where to start?

That’s understandable.

Truthfully most of the time, it is unclear because it is a question that cannot be answered outside of you.

Taking a Clearer Look at Where to start.

Well, you begin from where you are.

Believe it or not, often, long before this question is asked, the decision has already been made.

See action is the final step in moving along a path.

Are you Confused Yet?

Stick with me.
- All questions have roots.
- Those roots have sprouts which are thoughts.
- And those thoughts sprout from seeds (Which are planted from observation and internal inquiry).
So, when a thought presents itself as a question to be vocalized, it has typically been turned over in the mind many times. And quite often, the vocalization of the question is merely for confirmation, either in agreement or disagreement.

What does that Mean?

So if you are true to yourself, you will find that you have entertained the thought long before you have asked. And additionally posed several solutions in your head. You have undoubtedly held counsel with yourself.

That is why acting is merely the amalgamation of what has been processed and confirmed. It is the stamp of approval.

What do some Insightful Leader Say In This Regard

That is why James Allan proffered that

As a man thinketh so he becomes.

This gives great depth to the statement by Rene Descartes.

I think, therefore, I am.

Your steps are walking manifestations of what you have already decided in your mind.

To Pose the question, Where do I begin again.

So, the true answer is to trust yourself because you already know.

Photo by Olya Kobruseva: https://www.pexels.com/photo/motivational-simple-inscription-against-doubts-5238645/

Start from where you are, and act on what you know to be true. The road will reveal itself as you walk.

An Extreme Word of Caution

Be wary of asking others where you are to begin.

As I have learned in an exercise in the active engagement of transforming my mind, you are the star of your movie. If you want to be successful, you cannot defer to others.

Why?

Most people don’t care because they are busy starring in their own movies and others want to see you fail.

So, walk in the assurance of your calling, what you know, and what you have chosen.

And take the step.
How: A Birthing Process

April 27th, 2022
The last few articles have explored the importance of inquiry and where the questions what if, what, why, and when fit in the process of reaching for our dreams.

Understand there will be endless questions along the journey, and they will come fast and furious. However, most are framed within the six fundamental asks, what, when, why, where, who, and how.

The Question How.

How is an inquiry that typically goes hand in hand with the question when?

Most of us who anticipate the outcomes of our efforts want to know when we will see the results and how?
- How will our dreams come to fruition?
- How will we know we have arrived?
- How will it all be in the end?
The Miracle of the Wait!

There is one genuinely miraculous thing about planting a seed, the how.

You see, we know what we plant.

And we have an idea of what that plant may look like when it sprouts.

However, we will not know how beautiful it will be until it blooms.

Photo by Anna Gru on Unsplash

The How is always a Miracle.

The only hand we really have in the process of growth is planting and nourishing. But unfortunately, we can’t see the work happening beneath the soil.

It’s a lot like a baby growing within the womb. We know that it’s happening. We have an idea of what is happening. There is an inkling of what the outcome will look like. We even have a tentative when. But the how is out of our control.

The Birthing Process

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

We have no idea how the limbs form or how they knit together. We are just witnesses of the process. So there is no choice but to let the process take care of itself. This takes the most enormous leap of faith.

But there is no need for dismay. The extraordinary sense of awe one gets to experience when everything finally comes together is indescribable and well worth every pang experienced.

An Experience I well Understand

I am a testament to this. My womb has held five beautiful seeds. And miraculously, I have had the opportunity to birth four of those four beautiful children. I had no idea how it all came together each time, but it did. And each time, I was awed. And giving birth to your dreams is no different.

So I charge you to hang in there and enjoy the process. Because what is up ahead will be unbelievably breathtaking.
Inquiry Series: When

April 25th, 2022
Inquiry: When

In the line of questioning, reasonably, the first question one typically asks is what and then why?

But once we have figured out what we desire and our purpose (the why), logically, we ask when.

Two Times That the Question When is Our Biggest Inquiry

There are two times where the question of when becomes one’s primary focus. The first is while one is at the start of the journey, while the other is when one is well on the way to fulfilling their desire.

The First Time One Raises the Inquiry When

The first time one raises the inquiry when, is in determining a time frame to set adrift; asking questions such as,

When do I start?

As much as one may want guidance in this area, this is a personal question. No one can tell you the right time to start your journey. To determine readiness, it’s something you must sit with and assess

Shetty, who is the author of this phenomenal book entitled Think Like a Monk, so eloquently points out,

Sometimes it helps to sit with a question in the back of your mind for a day, even a week. Then, very often, you’ll find that what you are ultimately searching for is an internal feeling.” (Shetty 74)

So with this in mind, it becomes obvious that knowing when to take a leap is as much a feeling as anything. However, even given this knowledge, one thing remains sure, if you never start, you will never get where you are going. So never procrastinate.

Think about it for a moment.

There will never be a tomorrow, and yesterday is way too late, so now is all you will ever have.

The Second Time One raises the Inquiry When

There is yet another time where when becomes the primary driver. That time comes while looking to the horizon after much work and effort has been applied.

The questions most asked are;
- When is it going to come true for me?
- When is it going to all come together?
Unfortunately, this is also a question no one can answer for us.

Things take time.

There are no definitive timelines or dates when it comes to fulfilling goals.

There are no magic eight balls that can reveal when everything we have worked for will pay off.

We can set deadlines and work towards that time frame. Yet, there will still be so much that must fall into place to fulfill our dreams.

So, when is as miraculous a thing as any?

Not Knowing When Something Will Happen, Doesn’t Mean You Don’t Work.

Inquiry When: Photo by Анна Галашева: https://www.pexels.com/photo/unrecognizable-trendy-woman-lying-on-street-bench-near-wall-with-inscription-on-autumn-day-5742722/

Face it, despite not having a definitive when; there will never be a success without action.

You must press on anyway. Because to reap a harvest, the seed must be in the ground.

Shetty said it like this,

Nor can we expect someone to fund us, discover how amazing we are, and hand us our place in the world. Nobody is going to create our lives for us.”

So, assuredly If you are willing to put in the work, the when will come if you believe.

Here is Where Your Why Comes In

You must use your purpose to carry you all the way. Because while you are waiting, when things get a little challenging, your purpose will sustain you. Then,

“The work itself will bring you a sense of fulfillment even if you don’t succeed as quickly, or ever” (79)

A Word to Remember

Inquiry When: Photo by Olya Kobruseva: https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-birthday-to-you-card-5246429/

Although when is a question that looms big and takes up all rationality.

Try to worry less about when and shift your focus to your what and why. You will then see that everything else takes care of itself in time.
Inquiry Series: Why?

April 20th, 2022
Of all the questions in the world, the one that is perhaps asked the most is why?

Why is a question to elicit understanding, but it is like a double-edged sword.

How is that?

Why can be one of the most difficult questions to deal with.

Unfortunately, there is not always an answer to our whys?

For example:
- Why must we suffer?
- Why did it happen to me?
- Why can’t I get ahead?
Sincerely, no one can answer those questions, for not all things have a rationale, and not all explanations are just.

So it is, when there is so much left to the universe, to open interpretation, asking why leaves us with more questions than solutions.

In such cases, the contention is strong.

And many will contend that it’s simply foolish to dwell on the why and simply stop asking.

But on this sentiment, I do not agree.

There is a purpose and place for everything.

Inquiry helps us to improve, progress, and grow. Even when there seems to be nothing to learn, there is always a lesson.

Discovery

Frankly, asking why doesn’t merely lead to endless conundrums. Asking why also leads to discovery.

Why, is also a question of purpose?

When one wants to form a solution or provide a fix to something, one of the first things they must inquire is, why something is broken?

Without knowing the why behind a broken thing, you can’t possibly know how to fix it.

The Significance of Why in Achievement

When setting out on a journey to do the remarkable, or create magic in the world, knowing your why is the core of impetus.

A few questions which can be asked on the path to discovery,
- Why am I doing this?
- Why is this so important?
- Why do I need to keep pushing?
If your why is powerful enough, it will sustain you.

Keep Your Why In Front of You

Once your why (motive) is discovered, keep it in front of you like a guiding lamplight for the midnight hours of life. Because It will lead you to your destination.

As someone once said.

One of the most pertinent success factors is often having a big enough why.

When you find that your why becomes so much bigger than your what if? Then nothing will stand in your way.

In the words of Benjamin Franklin

All highly competent people continually search for ways to keep learning, growing, and improving. They do that by asking WHY. After all, the person who knows HOW will always have a job, but the person who knows WHY will always be the boss.
Inquiry Series: What?

April 18th, 2022
What is the meaning of inquiry?

Inquiry means to question. It is the process by which we find insight.

Inquiry is an investigation, a seeking after. It is a tool that drives knowledge.

As one person once said, the more you know, the more you grow.

And in the words of another,

“Part of being successful is about asking questions and listening to the answers.” Anne Burrell

The Purpose of this Series

So, this series touches on some of the most important points of inquiry one will put forth in their life. With great hope, this series may guide you into asking better questions. Or, it may also help you determine which question you should be asking to move forward and live your best life. Whatever measure you might find this useful, hopefully, it serves to motivate you.

Six Major Investigative Questions

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

There are six major investigative questions, as most of us have learned from our grade school studies. Those questions are what, why, when, where, who, and how? And as an extra measure, I included the question, what if at the start of this series.

Exploring the question, what.

Image by an_photos from Pixabay

What is an inquiry of direction? It is the question one poses when definition or clarity is needed.

In life, one must remember that it is impossible to go anywhere or accomplish anything unless they have defined their what.

And, so it is, what becomes one of the most important guiding questions on the path to success.

Very Little Clarity at the Start

Starting is never as simple as it seems. You might not always have everything figured out when you start on a path. In fact, you may be very confused because acclimation is a process.

And confirmation often comes after the start.

That is why “what” is one of the best questions one can ask when setting on a path to better understanding?

The Role of Inquiry in Finding our Identity

Photo by cottonbro: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-with-binary-code-projected-on-his-face-5474028/

In all our lives, we have a period of learning ourselves. This period starts when we become toddlers and start exploring our world.

We then seek to understand how and where we fit in.

Funny enough, before we can completely understand ourselves and how we relate to our environments, one of the first questions we are asked is, what do we want to be when we grow up?

At the time of such an inquisition, it is rare that we even have an inkling of who we desire to be. So we go by the things we observe, the things most prevalent in our environments. That is how we determine our choice.

Our initial selection rarely becomes our last!

Sometimes it takes a lifetime to discover what we want or are meant to become.

We look at our world, our separate environments for markers, for cues to help us determine what is possible and acceptable. And, if the things that fill our imagination neither seem possible nor acceptable, we reshape our aim.

This is sad, but that is how we come to choose our paths. Fortunately, there is a silver lining.

Things don’t have to remain the way they were.

Never too Late to Find Your What?

Yes, much of what you want is shaped by your environment and peers, which can be stifling.

But it’s never too late to make alterations.

Because fortunately, if you want something enough, you have the power to shape your reality to match your desires rather than bowing to what you have been taught to believe was an impossibility.

However, this requires a constant re-examination, asking oneself,

Is this what I really want? And then what can I do about what I have discovered?

Trust that If you want to live a fulfilled life, what is a question you cannot avoid asking?

Being Earnest About Going Forward

You must be earnest with yourself!

As Stephen Covey proclaimed

“Self-awareness involves deep personal honesty. It comes from asking and answering hard questions.

As you become more earnest with yourself and your desires and set your path, you will feel a sense of liberation.

Why? Because when you discover your what, you will also find your truth. And subsequently, everything else will flow.
- You will no longer need to find the motivation.
- The approval once sought from others, you will no longer need.
- You will live authentically in your calling.
So, I urge you to constantly check in with yourself.

If you are restless, ask yourself, am I doing what I desire to do?

If you find yourself coasting, ask yourself, is what I’m doing challenging me? What can I do to live a more fruitful existence?

If you find your life is mundane and repetitive. Ask yourself, what greater purpose could I be fulfilling?

Once you have discovered what that is, you will know it.

And at that moment, you will find fulfillment.

That is not to say that it will be easy, but it will be worth it!