Your Personal Sunshine for 2012

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Trevor Hill

At Christmas, Santa kindly brought me an outdoor jacket. The label said there is no such thing as the wrong kind of weather, only the wrong kind of clothing. 

There’s more than a grain of truth in this because although we can’t control the weather, we can control what we wear. In other words, we can choose how we respond to the weather. 

Sometimes this is easy – when the sun shines, we respond by feeling good. This may well be the reason that you like your holidays where sunshine is guaranteed. 

We have the opposite response when the clouds hang low and dark in the sky; there is no sunshine and our mood drops. It seems that there is a connection between the meteorological conditions and our state of mind. 

Yet there are exceptions. You may remember sunny days when you didn’t feel so great. And other days when you felt like singing in the rain. These exceptions are the clue to what is really going on. 

While we can’t control the meteorological weather, we create our own personal weather. In some sense we already know this – you’ve probably seen the type of cartoon with a figure followed by an individual black cloud to depict their depressed state of mind. 

But let’s look at the full implications. This could make a huge difference to you in the year ahead. 

When you have a strong sense of well-being – when you are inspired – your personal sun is shining. In contrast, when you feel negativity – and this can take many forms (eg. lethargy, confusion, anxiety, lack of inspiration) – the clouds have got in the way. 

When this happens your sun is still there. There is nothing wrong with it; it’s not broken but the clouds hide it. The negative feeling is a barometer telling you that the weather has changed. To restore the sunshine, you need to blow the clouds away. 

How do you do this? 

You change your thinking. Feelings come from thinking. Negative feelings come from unhelpful thinking. So to dispel the clouds, just let go what you have been thinking. There is no need for great effort, no point in forcing ‘positive thinking’. All you need is to become aware of your unhelpful thoughts and let them go, and your sun will break through. 

Very best wishes for an inspiring 2012

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Inspired By Beauty

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Trevor Hill

Something unique has just passed over our television screens – a huge technological achievement that is also a major work of art. Above all it revealed the most incredible beauty. 

I’m talking about the BBC series Frozen Planet - the outstanding result of four years filming in the Arctic and Antarctic. Headed by legendary naturalist Sir David Attenborough, a dedicated team has given us the privilege of exploring the polar regions that are otherwise accessible to very few. 

But I’m not simply writing a review of an excellent piece of television. Millions of people have been inspired by the beauty it revealed. It was truly inspiring to see the polar extremes pass through the four seasons: the midnight sun over glacier and sea ice, the play of shadow across ice floe and tundra, the star-studded winter sky and the ethereal display of the northern lights were all absolutely stunning. 

When, for the first time, you see snowflakes forming in front of your eyes or ice-crystals growing in the depths of ice caves, something changes within you. The link between beauty and inspiration can enrich our lives. 

Beauty like this reminds me of my first flight above the clouds. Then I was captivated by the sunlight playing on the billowing mist, how a whole mythical landscape of mountains and valleys was laid out below me. Later, back on the ground, whenever all was grey because the sun was blocked, I knew where it still shone. 

In the same way, when you experience beauty, it leaves a legacy of greater possibilities. Afterwards, you will know beyond doubt that there is more open to you than what appears obvious. Life is never the same again; the world is a bigger and more exciting place.

If indeed ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ then cultivate the eye. What do you find beautiful? Look for beauty, seek it out. It will reward the looking.

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How To Get Inspired In A Hurry

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Trevor Hill

Imagine you are sitting quiet and relaxed in a familiar room. What would happen if you thought about something sad? 

The inevitable result is that you would begin to feel sad. It’s a similar story if you remember a time when you made a fool of yourself. As you think about it, you can feel again the toe-curling embarrassment and the blush returning.  

These examples give us a big clue to how we can become inspired, simply and quickly. All you need to do is this: 

Remember what inspires you 

Yes, it’s that simple! Just recall the things that inspire you. If you want to magnify the power, jot down what comes to mind. 

You can boost the power still further by sharing what inspires you because sharing encourages you to be clear in your own mind. And by happy coincidence, a good place to start is right here. You can pop a comment below :-)

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Inspired By The Forgetful Elephant

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Trevor Hill

Jake was travelling in India, absorbing all the exotic sights and sounds of a new land. He loved the food, the culture and the wildlife. When it came to animals, none impressed him more than the elephants. He watched how the mahouts handled them as they worked. He was in awe at the way an animal weighing 4 tons and able to shift huge loads could also move so delicately. When it walked, it placed each hind foot exactly where the front foot had been. 

When it was time for the elephant to stop work, it was tied to a small tree or a handy fence post. Jake was intrigued – surely the elephant could easily uproot these and wander off. He asked one of the mahouts about it. He was told that the elephant had been tethered like this ever since it was young. Back then it didn’t have the strength to get away and, as we all know, an elephant never forgets. It still believed that it could not free itself. 

An elephant has the biggest brain of all land animals and typically lives to about 70 years old, a coincidentally similar life-span to humans. Yet through most of its life, it forfeits its freedom because of a mistaken belief. This can be a warning for all of us. 

We can be tethered by out-dated beliefs. Conditioning that we inherited years ago can still limit our achievements. We can be shackled by a misguided sense of consistency that dictates we must behave the same way as in the past. To liberate ourselves – to get out of the rut – we need to forget the stake we are tied to. We have the power to break free. 

Freedom is only a single thought away. When you switch your attention to what you can do – your full repertoire of strengths and talents – you will find exciting new possibilities where previously there had been only impossibilities. If you had that freedom, what would you do?

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Inspiring Stories

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Trevor Hill

Last week I was working with a small group and one of the individuals was a bright young woman in her twenties. It turned out that a couple of years earlier she had suffered a stroke and had spent many weeks in hospital. Although she had made a remarkable recovery, she still had residual health issues. 

What I found inspiring was that she was so full of life! She loved her job and was thoroughly engaged and conscientious. In her leisure time she drove rally cars and did sky-diving. She was also an accomplished singer who performed for audiences of several hundred people. 

When we hear about people who overcome adversity with such courage and achievement, I believe that it finds an echo within each of us. It’s like when you strike a chord on a piano; other notes that have not been struck resonate too. Certain harmonics sing quietly in recognition. 

We can choose to ignore this but if we do pay attention to the way we respond to an inspiring story, it can tell us more about ourselves. In my case, it told me that I have the latent courage and determination to overcome major adversity. This I find both surprising and reassuring. 

So I invite you to share a story that inspires you. It can be short or long, or it may be a link to another blog or website. It may be a recent story or one from long ago. I’ve come up with some categories (I’m sure there are more) which may be useful: 

  • Overcoming adversity
  • Awakening to new possibilities
  • Discovery or invention     
  • Loyalty to a cause
  • Generosity or self-sacrifice
  • Love
  • Reform or making good
  • Leading others
  • Rebelling
  • Sharing a vision
  • Following a passion 

When you think of a story that inspires you, listen for the echo in your own life. Whether you share it or not, look for the reflection in yourself. 

If you do share your story with other readers, you will bring something very valuable to them. Each story is a springboard, not only to greater inspiration but fuller self-understanding and confidence. You can simply add a comment below.

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Your Potential Is Bigger Than You Think

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Trevor Hill

Falling leaves are the obvious sign of autumn. They are already ankle deep in places. All through the growing season the leaves convert energy from the sun into energy for the tree. The result is that the tree increases in stature and it bears fruit. Every leaf contributes something to the character of the tree. 

Trees are simple compared with human beings. Our growing seasons are longer and more varied. Our leaves are the experiences we live through. Some are still fresh and green, helping to sustain us. Others are on the turn, changing to glowing bronze as if to celebrate the contribution they have made. The rest are shrivelled and dry, ready to fall. 

The tree is made by all its leaves. This includes the strong and healthy leaves and the diseased and misshapen ones. In a similar way, all your life experiences have shaped who you are today. Of course, we have all had experiences we would never have chosen. But because of the human capacity to learn, nothing needs to be wasted. We can distill useful lessons and then let it go, like a leaf at the end of its life. 

Now look closely again at the tree. As the leaves are shed and the structure of trunk and branches is exposed, tucked into the wood in their thousands are the buds for next year. Poised ready to break out in the warmth of spring, next season’s potential is embodied even as the leaves are falling. 

Your potential is bigger still. Even when some experiences are falling away, the buds are there for an explosion of growth. And you have an advantage over the tree – you have the power of choice. You can chose to tap into your wisdom acquired over past seasons and you can decide what fruit to bear. 

What buds do you know are ready to break out?

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Making Something

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Trevor Hill

There’s no doubt that inspiration leads to action. But interestingly it works the other way too – action can lead to inspiration. 

A couple of days back, I did some woodwork. I made a sawing horse – essentially a cradle to hold firewood while it is sawn into smaller pieces (see photo). It took just an afternoon and I became inspired cutting, drilling and bolting wood. 

I’ve always enjoyed making things and perhaps I don’t do it enough these days. It set me thinking that so many of us spend our professional lives in some kind of service industry that the physical act of making a tangible result is rare or even absent altogether. 

This is a sad loss because making something can be truly inspiring. Exactly what the something is will depend on you – it certainly doesn’t have to be woodwork.  Think here of something that can be finished in one go rather than a lifetime project. A few examples that come to mind are: setting a table for a dinner party; cutting a hedge; arranging some flowers; drawing and painting. 

In every case you get a tangible result which will act as a reminder of your efforts each time you see it. But it is the actual process of making which is inspiring, for three key reasons: 

1. It positions you in the present moment – not worrying about the future or pre-occupied with the past. Indeed, you can enter the State of Flow when you become so absorbed that you lose all sense of time. Your mind is focused in concentration while the physical materials you are working with impose a connection with the here-and-now 

2. It is a direct means of self-expression which means that you put something of yourself into the making. How you are making becomes more important than what you are making. If you have ever watched your mother make a meal, you’ll know how she did even simple tasks in a way only she would

3. It goes beyond the ordinary, everyday perspective. Indeed, it can touch upon beauty. As I made my sawing horse, I was drawn in to notice the wonderful patterns of knots and grain in the timber. I could feel the drill bite as I made the holes and hear the wood creak as I tightened the bolts. When we make something, all our senses are engaged and heightened – we get an extra-ordinary perspective 

So if I have convinced you that making something is an inspiring option, what do you like to make? What practical, hands-on process do you enjoy? What tangible result do you want to produce? Please share your suggestions with a comment below.

If you’re not convinced yet, then ask me your questions, also below.

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The Magic In Your Smile

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Trevor Hill

Yesterday morning I was sitting in the dentist waiting room. Not the first place you might think of for finding inspiration. Through the window I could see that the sky was grey with drizzle in the air. Not the most inspiring weather either. And then I noticed that the slate roof across the street was shining with the rain. It made me want to smile. 

There is no logical reason I can give you; it’s just that some things make me smile. You will have things that do the same for you. It’s not the smile of humour, more a smile of recognition. It’s the sort of smile that is accompanied with an uplifting feeling. It brings warmth and reassurance that, fundamentally, the world is a wonderful place. It makes us more alive. 

This is the link with inspiration. When we feel such a smile, we wake from whatever trance we are in and respond in a heartfelt way to something – or someone – nearby. This is the spark which can be fanned into the full flame of inspiration. 

I don’t expect a wet slate roof to do it for you, but notice what does. It happens without thinking about it – you respond first and maybe you will think about it afterwards. 

My suggestion for you is this. Over the next couple of days, tune in for your heartfelt smile. You don’t have to work at it, just notice and enjoy it. And if you’d like to share what happens, pop a comment below

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At the Beginning of the Day

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Trevor Hill

When it comes to inspiration, the time of day seems to be important. 

This may come as a surprise; it does to me. Yet almost by accident I have found it to be true; it would be good to know how it works for you. 

The thing is that I have ‘discovered’ the early morning. Ever since my trip to Switzerland I have been getting up much earlier than normal. I’ve been out of the house before most people are awake and I’ve been able to be inspired in the quiet freshness of the new day. 

Most times I have walked for an hour or so and then returned to breakfast before starting work. It has made a huge difference to my day. I am more awake and energized and, I believe, more creative. In that first hour, the good ideas just flow effortlessly. Now I always take a notebook! 

It reminds of my friend Helen who bought a puppy. Soon afterwards she told me of the delight of the necessary early walks before work – she said how she was so pleased to have discovered that wonderful time of day. 

Now, before you ask, I do know how nice it is to stay in bed. Sometimes I stay there a bit longer. But the habit of staying until the last possible moment and then rushing to get up and out the door misses out on wonderful potential to be inspired. You might be tucked under the duvet just at the time that inspiration is closest. 

John used to frequently wake at four in the morning feeling ready to get up. But when he checked the clock and realized that ‘it wasn’t time to get up’ he dozed off again. When he woke the second time, he felt tired and the days had a lasting lethargy that was hard to shake off. 

Then one morning John decided to get up at 4am and found he was awake and alert. He accomplished several things he had wanted to do, all before normal rising time. So he repeated the same the next morning and the results were similar. Soon he had started a new habit and became aware that, for his own body-clock, the early morning was his most productive time. 

It’s OK, I’m not suggesting you get up at 4am :-) Neither am I suggesting you have to get up early every morning. But you might like to experiment; like me, you may make a life-changing discovery.

Suppose you get up even half an hour earlier than normal. You could have a more relaxed start to the day, catch a less crowded train, walk instead of riding. You could read or meditate, or fix a more nutritious breakfast. Whatever you do, the activity is secondary; what matters is giving yourself some time and space early in the day to allow new inspiration to flow. 

Life is short and our work difficult enough without at least a little sense of possibility to allow the day to breathe David Whyte

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Can Scary Things Be Inspiring?

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Trevor Hill

At one of my seminars, someone claimed they were inspired by being frightened. Just recently I had a chance to ‘road test’ this myself. 

I was on holiday in Switzerland, a land of magnificent mountains. While I’m no climber, I like to walk in the high country but getting there is not always easy. The reason is that I don’t like cable cars. 

Now if you’re a skier you are probably wondering what all the fuss is about but, for me, dangling from a cable high above the ground is a scary thing. I’m absolutely fine in a plane 5 miles up, or on a train on the highest bridge but the cable thing just doesn’t look safe. 

Near where I was staying there was such a contraption and each day I would watch the pods gracefully gliding up the mountainside. By the end of the week, I felt I was copping out and that I would be disappointed with myself for not trying it. 

So I got a ticket and went through the barrier, the point of no return! I sat facing downhill so I could focus on the view rather than the cables and pulleys. My palms were sweating and my heart was thumping; I closed my eyes as the pod bumped over the supports. 

But I have to be honest and admit that it was only partially terrifying. When I got to the top, I walked out almost steadily and before long I was able to contemplate the journey down again. 

This time I was more confident and less tense. The start was fine and I was beginning to relax and then the cable stopped! The pod swung in mid-air – a nightmare! 

Someone was having a joke. The Universe was testing me. The thing had broken and it would take hours to get me out. 

In actual fact after a few minutes it started moving again; looking back, the operator must have been attaching or detaching an extra pod. The rest of the downhill run was uninterrupted and I was very pleased to be back on firm ground. Yet I was glad that I had done it. 

The feeling grew that I had become in some sense a different person, larger perhaps and more complete. Rather than the person afraid of cable cars, I am now one who sometimes uses them. Whole new possibilities opened up for me and I felt more alive as a result. 

This is the essence of inspiration – a personal awakening together with an exciting new focus. Had I been inspired by being scared? No, I had been inspired by overcoming my fear. 

This leads to two conclusions: 

1. When we overcome adversity of some kind, we become much more alive as a result. At the extreme, this is clearly seen in people who triumph over near-death experiences such as major injury or life-threatening illness. It means too that we can challenge ourselves and become inspired when we win through.

 2. We all have hidden depths of vast and remarkable untapped resources. We are much ‘bigger’ than we think. Often what we kid ourselves is impossible is actually within reach. It’s just that we may have to stretch a bit for our natural capabilities that are already there to activate. 

Check this with your own experience – what challenges or adversities have you overcome? How were you inspired by overcoming them? 

More importantly still, what challenge could you take on now so you can inspire yourself by your actions? 

If you’d like to share your story or comment on mine, please do so below

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