A Heaping Dose of Inspiration

Back in early March, I was in the midst of composing a blog post about shifting our perspectives in the hum drum “ordinary-ness” of our day to day lives and then seemingly overnight everything changed for all of us due to the COVID-19 health crisis. Now we are longing for the very routine things we took for granted (and possibly even complained about) just a few weeks ago.

I can’t tell you how many times over the past 6 weeks, I have sat down with my laptop hoping to ooze some comfort and words of wisdom only to come up empty. It wasn’t lack of inspiration, but rather a strong desire to share the full breadth of dynamic, eloquent, uplifting messages from many of my favorite motivators. So, I am dedicating this blog post to the invaluable resources that are keeping me hopeful, courageous, supportive and inspired through this challenging time:

Oprah & Deepak 21-Day Meditation Experience – Hope In Uncertain Times https://chopracentermeditation.com/experience Several times throughout each year, Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra offer a free 21-Day mediation experience. This particular program was designed specifically for our current global health crisis. I used to think that having hope was just about being optimistic but after this 21-day experience I’ve come to revel in the fact that hope is as tangible and vibrant as love. Day 1 leaves no doubt as it is aptly entitled “The Power of Hope is Real.“

Elizabeth Lesser on Facebook – Elizabeth is a best selling author (Broken Open) and co-founder of Omega Institute, the largest adult education center in the United States focusing on health, wellness, spirituality and creativity. I’ve often thought that she’s the kind of person who becomes an instant friend. Visit Elizabeth Lesser’s Facebook page for her poems, her livestreams, and her beautiful creative writings. Her recent poem “No One Told the Daffodils” will resonate with any nature lover. https://www.facebook.com/ElizLesser/

Omega Institute offers diverse content to awaken the best in human spirit. Be sure to check out the videos section and especially the one entitled “Love and Awakening in the Time of a Global Pandemic”. https://www.facebook.com/eOmega.org/

Brene Brown’s “Unlocking Us” Podcasts. The dynamic and oh so relatable Brene Brown launched her brand spanking new podcast series on March 19th — yep….right in the midst of our quarantine due to the pandemic. She had no way of knowing in advance that her focus on this very first one — on staying in the tough times rather than checking out — would be so poignant. And of course she skillfully addressed our collective first time experience of being in a pandemic. Since the initial launch in mid-March, she has added 7 more podcasts and she’s had some fascinating guests such as Alicia Keys, David Kessler, Glennon Doyle, Dr. Marc Brackett and more. My all-time personal favorite podcast was on March 26th entitled “Comparative Suffering, the 50/50 Myth, and Settling the Ball”. Brene has an uncanny ability to recognize how we are feeling no matter how we try to mask it or pretend otherwise. In this episode she talked candidly about falling apart, staying connected and kind, and giving ourselves permission to feel hard things. Brene happily recognizes that many us are logging a few miles on our fitness trackers as we listen to her podcasts. If you love Brene, grab your earbuds –you are in for a treat! I’ve been listening to her podcasts on Spotify. You can check them out on her Facebook page also. https://www.facebook.com/brenebrown/

Headspace — Just before the pandemic, Headspace had launched two new features on the app — Community Story and The Wake Up. As the health crisis unfolded, The Wake Up feature began to tailor its content to the myriad of emotions and real-life challenges we are facing as we “shelter in”. The Wake Up feature is a daily short video with engaging presenters chock full of solid ideas and inspiration. Some of these videos have been so fascinating even my grandchildren enjoy them. Headspace is offering free support during the healthcare crisis, so please go to their website to check out the details. https://www.headspace.com

For many of us, this quarantine has underscored the many small components of our daily lives that truly weave themselves into the fabric of our lives and makes us stronger, more grateful and more aware of how we are all so inextricably connected. Now more than ever, we can step back, take a deep breath and ask ourselves “What have we learned from this experience?”