Our technology brings us a world of information—news, gossip, external demands, TV, radio, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more. But we need much more than information. As astrophysicists remind us, we are made of the very elements of the stars. The light of inspiration is essential to our nature. Without inspiration, that sense of meaning that lights our lives, something within us dies.
Great leaders have always communicated inspiration, bringing hope to the people around them. In the dark days of the Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt affirmed that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." During the Battle of Britain, Churchill raised his people's spirits, affirming that this was Britain's "finest hour." In the 1960s, John F. Kennedy's inaugural challenged Americans to "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," and Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech touched the hearts of a nation.
A vital task for any leader is to communicate with heart, inspiring those around us. All of us have a sense of who we are and what we believe in, values often hidden beneath the surface. A wise leader can discern these unspoken beliefs and articulate them, holding up a beacon of hope to light our path to the future.
Now it's your turn--to discover the light of inspiration within and around you.
Take a moment to pause, close your eyes, and ask: "Where do I find inspiration? When do I feel vividly, vitally alive?"
- Think of a time when you felt a deep sense of joy—centered, energized, most authentically yourself.
- Now ask, "What can I do to tap into this well of inspiration today?"
As a citizen in a democracy that calls us all to be leaders—how can you communicate inspiration:
- Listen more mindfully to the people around you?
- Discover our essential common ground?
When you can listen for inspiration within and around you, and communicate with heart, you will bring the light of healing to our world.