I have always hated being asked Who inspires you and why? It’s always sounded like a cliché question and a kind of judgment since most people annoyingly say The Dalai Lama or Mother Theresa or some other icon of sycophants’.
Sound cynical enough for you? 🤷🏽♀️
In my reality and view of the world, I think independence and self-determination includes not looking to anyone else to motivate or ‘inspire’. I believe these should come from within us, then it’s more achievable.
I might pedantically accept the phrasing of Who do you aspire to be like? over the former.
What’s the difference? you might be questioning…. lemme ‘Tara ‘s’plain’.
It comes down to the source for action.
Aspiring to be like someone means that one must work within themselves to emulate another whom one looks up to. Being inspired by another is a passive act. The grammar alone proves that. Aspiring is active. But, you have to be inspired from an outside force to take action.
So… no one inspires me really.
That question will always vex me because I have never been extrinsically motivated to take actions in my life. However, if I ever were forced to choose someone, I believe I finally have a name that I might tentatively share, though the fear of falling into a cliché would likely stop me. 😛
Reading Michelle Obama’s book _Becoming_ is the reason I have a possible name. She came from a middle class family and acknowledges the opportunities that were not only placed before her, but also those she worked to make for herself. Through hard work and being a decent human being, she touched lives and has made a difference in the world.
The frequent saying that the best leaders are those who don’t want to be is one that I would absolutely apply to her. Though she makes it clear that politics was never her thing, once she moved into the spotlight, she shone bright and guidingly.
While not everyone liked the Obama administration, just like many do not like our current one, I always try to avoid making much of a political statement. I believe these kinds of conversations are only safest amongst the very nearest and dearest to keep the peace. I respect everyone’s point of view even if I strongly disagree, but this isn’t always the case for others.
So, I do not feel inspired by Michelle Obama because of the politics connected to her, but rather for her determination to be the best that she can be and to help others to do the same. She may have had a leg up compared to others like her, but still she worked hard along with her husband to become who they are today.
It is this fact that moves me as a humanist, who believes that every person has the opportunity to be anything even those in seemingly dire circumstances. Sometimes, it is easier for some than others, but we can all be more than we are if we want it to happen.
Therefore, while I liked the public persona that she presented before I read the book, I like her even more after reading her story. It’s a shame more people like her and her husband don’t get to share their stories as examples of inspiring human beings.
Thus, if I haven’t made it clear, I highly recommend this book. It’s put me on the path for aspiring to find inspiration in others. 😉
~T 😀
