"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." -- Albert Schweitzer
We all have a spark inside us.
This inner spark can give us much.
An ability to create.
Purpose and meaning.
An ability to inspire positive change.
A reason to get excited and passionate.
An ability to add something wonderful to the world in our own unique way.
The problem is, we're really good at ignoring the call from that spark. Even neglecting it at times. We see our inner spark as something whimsical. Childlike perhaps. It's not real world.
The truth is that our inner spark can often be suffocated by external conventional thinking and social pressures. Our own fear and procrastination can also play their parts. This can mean we run the risk of living a life on borrowed terms and not our own. We run the risk of living a life we're not really passionate about living.
It doesn't however have to be this way. We can instead reclaim our inner spark for ourselves and start to let it guide us.
5 Ways to Reclaim Your Inner Spark
1)Identify It
It might have been so long since you felt the bright burn of your inner spark that you've forgotten it's there. Perhaps you need to revisit how you spend your time and what you're filling your days with. Maybe others around you are impacting it.
Whatever the case it is important we first identify our inner spark as something that is to be prioritized. We need to identify it as something of significance.
2)Listen to it
What is your inner spark saying?
What gets it excited and burning bright?
What stifles it?
What circumstances does it thrive best in?
Listen to each of these triggers.
3)Make Room for It
Procrastination and fear are the enemies of your inner spark. They will snuff it out if you let them. It's what they do best. The fears of others can do the same.
Don't let that happen!
Instead, make room for your inner spark. Make it a priority in your life. Learn to say no to other things if you need to and reduce commitments elsewhere so you have the room.
4)Add Fuel to It
Seek out circumstances that your inner spark thrives in. Questions to ask yourself to support this might include:
What am I excited about?
What gets me up in the morning?
What type of life do I want to lead?
Who and what inspires me?
What type of person do I want to be?
What type of career do I really want for myself?
What things and people give me most satisfaction in life?
5)Let it Burn Bright
Now it's up and burning bright again keep it that way. Continue to revisit the steps above. Make your inner spark a priority. Feel the creativity it brings. Enjoy the warm feelings it brings you. Let it guide decisions. Trust it.
Although following the call of your inner spark is a tougher and less conventional path to tread the potential rewards are significant.
So go ahead, find and fan your spark.
Carl is the proud owner of www.frictionlessliving.net which is focused on helping readers live a simpler and more personally satisfying life. He is also the author of 22 Ways to Simpler Living. To read more and/or contact him go to his site.