Word-Of-the-Week #696: Inspire
December 7, 2017 by Susan Clarke
Inspire – to fill someone with confidence and desire to do something.
Do you have anyone in your life that makes you feel like anything is possible? Do you have a deep down desire to do something? Have you ever been a mentor?
This word came up several times in my WOW’s from November, which triggered me to write about it.
- “Effective leaders deliver an inspiring vision, which the entire team connects with day to day.”
- “Optimists add energy; pessimists drain away energy”.
- “Real leaders are able to consistently inspire, motivate and make people feel better about themselves than they think they have a right to feel.”
Then I found more at BrainyQuote that I really liked:
- To succeed, you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you. – Tony Dorsett
- Attitude and enthusiasm play a big part in my life. I get excited about the things that inspire me. I also believe in laughing and having a good time. – Dwayne Johnson
- Every day, the people I meet inspire me… every day, they make me proud… every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth. – Michelle Obama
I have been a mentor to former foster youth since 2002. I am on the board of Fostering Opportunities Scholarships and we raise money through donations to help
provide for their continuing education. In 2006, I got Sade. My description of her after our first meeting was, “She’s a very angry, inner city kid.”
Mentoring Sade was like peeling an onion. Every layer I got through allowed me to connect with her on a deeper level. She has turned into the most beautiful young woman and I am so proud of her and all of her accomplishments! She graduated from Cuyamaca College in 2009, went on to SDSU with the Alex Smith Foundation Scholarship, and graduated in May 2012 with a degree in Social Work. Then in 2015 she received her Masters of Social Work Degree from USC!
What many didn’t know was that she accomplished all that while raising two children! I am pretty sure she would say that I filled her with confidence and the drive to follow her dreams and desires. But what she may not realize was in the process she inspired me!
This week is all about being inspired. Who instills confidence and backs your dreams and desires? Who do you know that could use your inspiration to achieve their goals?
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