What’s Inspiring You?

A few weeks ago I was at the gym, hanging out with my daughter after the workout, when a fellow member and friend came up and asked me a question that really gave me pause.

What’s inspiring you these days? he asked.

In the moment, I was dumbfounded. No one had ever asked me that before — and I’d never thought to ask it of anyone else, either. And it was a GREAT question.

I mean, it’s a deep and interesting thing to ask. It gets into who someone is, what they’re motivated by, and what they’re working towards. It’s kinda like asking — but in a less hippie way — hey, what’s fueling your soul?

It also stems from an assumption that the person being asked is currently inspired, and that’s a pretty big compliment, right? Because, wow, I do want to be inspired each and every day, and if that shows through enough for someone to ask me about it … I feel like I’m doing something right.

On this particular day though, I hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep. So my answer was pretty lame.

Sleep. I’m inspired by sleep. I need more of it.

And then we laughed and had a conversation about how important sleep is, especially when you’re not getting it.

But, it’s time that I revise my answer. Because a few weeks after that conversation, he passed unexpectedly. Since then, I’ve relived in my mind a number of conversations and shared experiences I’ve had with him — from cheering on one another on during workouts to debating the best type of tequila — but it’s this one question and conversation that I keep coming back to. And, finally, I have my true answer.

These days, I’m inspired by him — and his spirit’s genuine curiosity, interest and kindness. That’s what’s inspiring me.

So, now, in his honor, I pose the question to you. What’s inspiring you? —Jenn