When Inspiration Hits
Here’s the thing about inspiration — when it comes, you better grab hold and run. Inspiration is your soul singing to your heart. Inspiration is your calling, your passion, what excites you and makes you shine.
But when inspiration comes and you don’t act — you are giving power to your mind to rationalize, to talk you out of it, to question your intentions, your ability, your purpose.
Your mind might tell you — you can’t do this, this dream is not for you. It’s too hard, too expensive, too out-of-the-box. It’s not the right time or the right situation or the right season.
Your mind can go on and on, pulling excuses from deep down in your self-consciousness, from you core soul wounds, and these excuses will only get louder and louder as time goes on. If you let them…
a selfie on the top of my training “hike” to Cerro de la Cruz in Antigua, Guatemala.
When you’re feeling inspired, that’s when your soul is speaking to you. That’s when you light up, when you feel aligned. When you feel strong enough to overcome those self-conscious thoughts, those fearful doubts.
So when that inspiration comes, take charge. Make plans. Commit to the thing.
“Because if you don’t, you’ll always wonder, ‘what if...’”
This idea came to me after feeling inspired to go on the challenging Volcan Acatenango hike in Guatemala.
While in Antigua I wanted to hike a volcano, a very common excursion, and there were a couple options options: a beginner-friendly half-day hike (Pacaya) or a challenging overnight hike to the summit of a volcano (Acatenango) to observe the active Volcan Fuego.
It was the start of my trip. I was still feeling raw, green, not yet broken in. I was ready to book the Pacaya, thinking it would better fit my pace.
But upon learning more about this beginner hike, I just didn’t feel that spark. It didn’t feel in alignment with my purpose of this trip of proving to myself that I’m capable of anything.
So I started learning about the more challenging hike, Acatenango. I went to multiple tour companies, spoke to a girl in my hostel who had just returned from it, and throughout the process, I felt noticeably different.
I was excited. I was nervous, yes. But I had this glimmer in my eye, a feeling like: I have to do this. This is a challenge, an experience, that I will remember forever.
But I didn’t book it that day. Oh, the excuses I made, they’re laughable: the tour operator was closing early, it was about to rain, I hadn’t read every single review on TripAdvisor, I needed to do a “mini-hike” first, to test my stamina.
I went to bed that night without having committed. And in the morning — I woke up feeling like I probably shouldn’t do it. It would be too hard. I’m not prepared. My shoes aren’t warm enough. I didn’t bring a good workout bra.
Can you believe these tricks the mind can play?
I did do the mini-hike that morning, and it was challenging. I knew the volcano hike would be even more challenging — hours longer, kilometers further, and at higher altitudes. It would probably be the hardest thing, physically, I’ll have ever done.
we hiked nearly 2 hours to get to this point — the welcome sign! HA!
I chose to align myself with that inspiration. With that belief of YES. Of doing things that make me feel like a badass, like the interesting and experienced person I strive to be.
I chose to commit. To go for it. To follow that dream, however scary it may be.
Because if you don’t follow the inspiration, that feeling of alignment, you’ll always wonder how it would have been.
we were gifted with fiery eruptions all throughout the night. what an experience!
“I chose to commit. To go for it. To follow that dream, however scary it may be.”
