It’s a slow day in my little office and as I look up on the wall I see the poster I got a few years ago. It’s only today I’ve bothered to research exactly when I must have bought the poster and it makes a lot of sense that it appealed to me at a time of ill-health. As it says, “Sisu” is a Finish word for “persevering in the face of adversity”. However I don’t associate it with being unwell. I associate it with improving and adapting, with learning and growing. Anyway, I just wanted to put it out there and share it with you all. Let me know if it speaks to you or what you use as an inspiration.
Love it Jon! Sisu – persevering in the face of adversity, what a wonderful expression.
Of recent, my inspiration seems to lie here 🙂 …..
Over the waters of the deep blue sea, our thoughts are boundless and our souls are free.
Lord Byron
Hi Natasha and thanks for letting me know about your current inspiration. I used to live by the sea and found it a very soothing and uplifting thing. I’ve always been drawn to mountains before but being by the sea, the unceasing movement, never the same from day to day was really good for getting me in to a sense of flow.
lovely poem and perseverance is certainly an essential element of success.
You said it was only today that you “bothered to research” when you bought it, and I’m curious as to what set the thought in motion to “research” when you bought it to begin with? What inspired you to find out when you’d bought it?
Hi Claire, welcome to the blog and thanks for your comment.
The research came about because I wrote to an American friend last night. I hadn’t spoken to them for a few years, our lives had diverged and so I was bringing them up to speed with a few changes since we had last been in contact. As I looked at the poem on the wall today I reflected on it’s cyclical, seasonal nature, how the years tick by sometimes without us noticing and I realised that I must have bought it a few years back. Not least because I bought another friend a similar poster from the Tube series and she had got hers framed. She offered to frame mine for a housewarming gift and that gift / flat was a few years ago. I guess I was curious to know what had attracted me to it then and whether that still held true now. My answer being that the meaning has shifted slightly but that I still love the poem, it continues to give to me in new and different ways.
Not sure if that answers your question? Now a question for you. What inspires you?
What inspires me?
this is not an easy question to answer quickly, without time to reflect (which I’ve done since I read your reply yesterday)
What inspires me is people taking action, being honest, never allowing other people’s “no”s stop them from achieving their dreams.
What inspires me is other people who aren’t afraid to dream BIG.
An example of that is Vishal- who has just “hired” Richard Branson 🙂 http://bit.ly/wstgHu
What inspires me is knowing that what I do makes a difference, to the person I’m working with at the time, and to all of the people they come into contact with too.
What inspires me is knowing that I’m fulfilling my purpose, what inspires me is the excitement of breaking new ground.
Those are just some of the things that inspire me!
Does that answer your question?
Yep that’s a pretty fulsome response and some wonderful things in there. Nice to see someone who is inspired by helping others. I’d particularly be interested to hear more about your “purpose”…..
my life purpose is to support as many people as humanly possible in being Happy, Healthy and Wealthy- I do this primarily through business coaching- working with entrepreneurs who are creating the corporates of tomorrow. I support them in creating honest, ethical, happy businesses where the heart of the business is community- a common purpose which delivers value and has it’s customers happiness, suppliers happiness and it’s employees happiness as it’s highest goal.
Happy is something that people feel when they are fulfilled, respected, and are reaching their potential.
Hi Claire, just love that first sentence. Distills it beautifully. Lovely to meet someone so clear of purpose!
it took a good few years and a lot of “soul searching”- which was really about getting to know who I am, this purpose was absolutely crystal clear that it’s been my underlying motivation for most of my life decisions.
I’m human, I don’t always achieve what I set out to- but I am 100% committed to getting better at fulfilling my purpose.
I get inspiration from many people, and many places. I had a great meeting earlier today; let me tell you about it.
The birds whizzed from tree to tree. I saw agile and heard their conversation.
The trees sighed in the bluster. I saw resilience and heard their conversation.
The winds bowled across fields. I saw flow and heard their conversation.
The horses pounded the paddock. I saw power and heard their conversation.
The road rose to meet my feet. I saw a way forward and heard…my laboured breathing.
The girl in the parked car opened her door on me. I saw it coming and had no conversation, just a wee smile.
I returned from the meeting with no notes, no actions, and no follow ups. In fact I hadn’t uttered a word throughout. And that meeting has set the tone for an inspiring productive day.
Doug that’s a great comment and thanks for sharing. I draw a lot of inspiration from what I observe as I cycle or run so totally understand where you’re coming from, particularly the bit about having no actions outstanding. Glad to hear it set you up for a great day, no adversity for you today then. 🙂
No adversity….yet. My daughter Keira has two friends coming back after school and I’m homework monitor – so we’ll see how that goes eh?
I had a fab ride from Wallington to the Wirral a few years ago. 306 splendid miles through some fabulous English countryside (not all in one day I hasten to add). What a super way to get about.
Wow that’s a long ride. My first holiday without my parents was cycle touring the Isle of Wight at 13. Such a taste of freedom, the open road 🙂 That trip still inspires me.
It’s prompting me to engage with a Finnish supplier who is giving me some adversity – Oy!
The simplicity of the poem is wonderful but for me it evokes the seasons and our human rhythm beautifully. Thanks for sharing it Jon.
Our source of inspiration is a curious thing – where do you start or stop? Most significant for me are… people & their inner self, the curiosity of those who’ve never been told not to be curious, landscapes and the changing seasons, the magnificence of nature in action from tiniest drop to the never-ending sky.
Inspiration is all around it’s just a question of letting it inspire you.
Hi David, thanks for the comment. I think it’s true that inspiration is where you find it and where you make it even. You’ve seen my business cards after all 🙂
JB – nicely done.
And know that for some of us on this little blue-green ball we call Earth, we draw inspiration from our fellow Man… you, for instance.
H
Seen and blessed. Thank you H