The difference between a good life and a truly great one can be summed up in one word - inspiration. The ability to create, sustain and enjoy the passion, the joy and the force that pulls us ahead of ourselves, that raises us up far beyond what we might otherwise accomplish, is the lifeblood of an enlightened and amazing life.

An important distinction to make is inspiration vs. motivation. Motivation pushes us forward, moving us to action on pain of punishment or by enticement of reward. Without the stick or the carrot, there is no motivation. Therefore, motivation is based on fear - fear of what lies behind, or fear of losing what lies ahead. Inspiration, on the other hand, comes from within and draws us forward under the steam of our own passions and our own love of the destination. We do not need the stick or the carrot when we are inspired to do a thing. Indeed, we may find that they are more of a distraction than a help, and so brush them out of our path as we move toward our goal, leaving them behind to gather dust.

A life that is visited by inspiration is a life forever changed. Just as we cannot look upon a great work of art or hear a profoundly beautiful piece of music without being forever altered in our view of the world, so too is our life irrevocably altered by the footprint of inspiration left in the fertile soil of our heart. Tended, nurtured and allowed to blossom in its own time, inspiration becomes the center point of the garden of our lives, filling them with the heady scent of the divine spark.

How are you inspired in your everyday life, or are you? Inspiration should not be constrained to "special occasions" of "sacred places." After all, God created the entire Universe from the Divine Inspiration, thereby making all places sacred and all times special. Bring inspiration into your life, and you can savor the bloom of a rich and meaningful life for the rest of your days.

(c) Soni Pitts

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Soni Pitts is the Chief Visionary Butt-Kicker of SoniPitts.Com. She specializes in helping others reclaim "soul proprietorship" in their lives and to begin living the life their Creator always intended for them.

She is the author of the free e-book "50 Ways To Reach Your Goals" and over 100 self-help and inspirational articles, as well as other products and resources designed to facilitate this process of personal growth and spiritual development.