Whether I’m hiking on one of my favorite trails in the woods or going for a quick walk along the beach, I always feel refreshed, recharged and re-energized after spending time connecting to source or spirit. While on a mini-speaking tour in NYC and D.C., I scheduled some time to see family in Tampa, Florida.

While I was walking along the shoreline of Honeymoon Beach in the Sunshine State, two things dawned on me: I realized both nature and my home make me feel nurtured — places I go to recharge. I wondered why, and then I thought, this simple design tip could also bring some natural flow in your home. Here’s the download I got from Mother Nature as I walked along the shoreline:

Take Action

Nature is also the best teacher when it comes to being in the present moment. With our busy schedules, it’s easy to forget to nurture our natural state of mind. While I searched for seashells by the seashore, I thought of one of the most beautiful life lessons my soul brother, Lonnell Williams, told Oprah: “Put yourself on your schedule.”

So I am going to do just that, starting today. I am putting time on my schedule to spend more time for walks along the water, hiking and just sitting in the park. And when the San Francisco days get too chilly or rainy, I can simply enjoy this natural state in my home that is already filled with gifts from nature.

Extra Extra

One of the best ways to feel nurtured in your home is to bring nature in. Nothing manufactured can compete with Mother Nature’s natural design. So, bringing wood, minerals or natural fibers like linen into your space will create a calming feeling, the same kind of nurturing you feel in nature.

If there are questions or design solutions I could help you with, hit me up on social and please share with your design and design-challenged friends.

Onward,
Toan

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The post Bringing Nature Inside Your Home and Heart appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

I love to be in nature as much as I love analogies, so how natural of me to want to use nature to explain what I’ve learned about the art of going with the flow and being in your flow.

Since I left my day job and started to be in tune with my passion, which I express through my nonprofit, Go Inspire Go, I’ve started to be more in my flow. I’m sure it’s exactly where I’m supposed to be.

I’ve faced many challenges — still do — and continue to learn how to deal with them and learn from them. I’ve poured all of my life’s savings and most of my time and energy into this platform that uncovers everyday heroes so that you can find your inner hero to help you help yourself and others. I’ve flexed my physical, financial and spiritual muscles through tough times and joyous times. No matter what I’ve faced since the inception of Go Inspire Go, I can truly say that every night I can say, “Today was a day well lived.”

If you’re going through challenges, just think of these three lessons Mother Nature has taught me:

1. One of my favorite plants is a fiddle-leaf fig tree that I bough six months ago. I was excited as more than 12 leaves grew anywhere from 5 to 11 inches in about two months. The leaves — so big, green and rubbery — bring me joy.

Just about a month ago, it stopped growing. Concerned, I went to a local store and talked to a plant expert. After a quick diagnosis, he told me that the plant hibernates from about December to March. It knows that it needs to be in reserve mode during the colder season. How amazing is that?

I wondered, how does this lesson apply to my life? Then it clicked. I used to get freaked out when emails, inquiries and opportunities slowed down during December. A flurry of thoughts crossed my mind and I started to worry.

My spiritual friend, Terrie Crowley, told me, “Honey, God is giving you time to rest. Be in the now and be grateful for it. You’re going to get plenty busy soon.”

I realized that I didn’t need to stretch myself thin and take every meeting and call. I needed to just do “nothing” and get some R and R. Things will grow as they should. Just like the fig plant, I too needed to rest and just be…. What about you?

2. Did you know that a butterfly needs to struggle in its cocoon before emerging? If it doesn’t struggle, the fluids don’t push through the body into its wings and it won’t be strong enough to break free and fly.

Think about the struggles you’ve been through in your life. Release the expectations and just stay in the present moment. In time, what should happen will happen. How did they help you spread your wings? Talk about metamorphosis!

3. While on a walk with a dear friend, Suzanne Lettrick, we talked a lot about the idea of flow — being in your authentic “zone.”

I told her that I was in alignment with my true self and that nothing makes me feel more alive than helping people discover and use their power to help themselves and others. Most of the time, I’m in that space and don’t let the ego get in the way by way of thoughts of doubt and negative self-talk.

She heard a writer once say, “If you look at a swan walking on land, it waddles and walks funny. But once it rests upon the lake, it flows.” Are you going through something that is knocking you off balance? It’s OK, go through your human emotions, cry, work out and talk it out if you need to. Just know that you can and will find the effortless flow that only you know how to find.

In the past two weeks, a half a dozen people told me, “You’re glowing.” I believe they meant that I am radiating inside and out — the feeling of joy.

So now, when I freak out when my expectations don’t turn out the way I want them to, I think, “Are you flowing?” For me, exercising, writing and talking to trusted people in my life help me remember to get back in the flow.

I know that we are not alone in this. You aren’t either. The key is to find what helps you be in your element so you can go and flow. Are you glowing and flowing? We’d like to know. Comment or get social and share on our social media channels.

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The post Three Life Lessons Mother Nature Taught Me appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

Art? Doing this for a living was never even an option in my household — it was a taboo subject. “Be a doctor, lawyer or engineer,” my parents would ingrain in my brain. In my parents’ eyes, the definition of success were those professions, in that order: doctor, lawyer, then engineer. I chose the fourth — failure (in the eyes of my immigrant parents, journalism seemed like failure).

Reading and writing, my passions, were not as revered as mathematics and science. I would read everything out loud. In the shower, I would read shampoo bottles: “Rinse, lather, repeat.” I remember what brought me joy was acting out the characters while reading my favorite childhood books. It’s no coincidence that I became a journalist, founder of Go Inspire Go (we use the art of storytelling to inspire action) and college instructor.

That’s why this GIG Spark, produced by high school student Aaron Long resonated with me on many levels, personally, professionally and even spiritually.

Through Aaron’s GIG Spark, he wants to inspire us to look around and enjoy the art around us in San Francisco. Don’t live there? No problem; Aaron wants you to look around and enjoy a tree, some street art or something that catches your eye.

How did he do this? In a creative way, of course! Find out how he inspired folks in his community to be present and enjoy the art around them through this GIG Spark (Lesson on Compassion) submission. His goal is to inspire you to notice (and enjoy) the art that surrounds you.

Gigster: Aaron Long
Where: San Francisco
Spark: Notice the Art Around You

Like many GIG Spark videos, this seems fun on the surface and it is. But on a deeper level, being creative isn’t nurtured in our society. I recently discovered this TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson, an internationally recognized leader in the development of education, creativity and innovation. Specifically, he speaks about the importance of creating an educational system that nurtures creativity. This TED video is full of inspirational gems.

I often wonder what I would be doing had I not pursued my passion work. One thing’s for sure — if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be as fulfilled and full of joy. Special thanks to Aaron for being aware and inspiring presence in this adventure we call life.

Take Action
1. Stop wherever you are. Look around and take a deep breath. Enjoy one thing around you.
2. Get creative. Like to bake or paint? Do it, then give it away to someone in need. Small things like this make anyone’s day.
3. Nurture the artistic talents in a child’s life.

We hope this video inspires you to be present and enjoy the art around you — and use your power to help others. I’ve been practicing enjoying the art around me by taking pictures on my Go Inspire Go Instagram account. I always snap cool scenes and things that inspire me because I want to share it with our viewers (tagged with an inspirational message).

Note: Thanks to Mom: who turned over a new leaf and supports endeavors — because she feels my passion for GIG. Also, I know (and feel) that my father, who on his death bed told me, “You’re wasting your life, you need to quit that reporting stuff and become a doctor,” has had a change of heart and is somewhere above, looking down and smiling at me. Smiling because I followed my heart and chose to redefine his definition of “failure.” Thanks to my parents for taking the risk — to uproot their successful lives — so my siblings and I could redefine the American Dream. No. 4 ain’t so bad!

GIG Spark was developed to create compassion through the exercise of brainstorming, problem solving and experiencing the joy of using your power to help others. Rachel shares her thoughts about what this particular experience meant to her: “Something GIG Spark taught me? Don’t stop yourself from doing something just because you think it’s not going to change anything. Whether what you do is monumental or small, whether it affects a million people or just one person, what’s important is that you did something. It’s human nature to resist change, but at least you presented a chance to plant a seed of change in someone’s mind.”

About Go Inspire Go (GIG): GIG is about inspiring small actions that ripple out to meaningful changes. As we’ve experienced, the ripples continue to billow out, one story, one person, one act at a time.

FEELING INSPIRED? Make your own GIG Spark and share with us. We may share it with the world.

As part of GIG’s mission to inspire our viewers to discover their power, we developed GIG Spark: A Lesson on Compassion. The goal is to spark action in everyone that witnesses your good deed. We want you to identify a problem in your community and be the change by capturing your action in a short 1-1:30 minute video. Use your passion and creativity to produce a GIG Spark and inspire viewers with your story!

What can YOU do?

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The post GIG Spark: Why It’s Important to Enjoy the Art Around Us appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

I love social media, but I try to keep it balanced with exercise and of course going on walks along the water and being enveloped in the trees. It was my personal goal to spend more time with mother nature this year. I always feel these indescribable feelings of stillness and peace afterward.

So, naturally, I was delighted to see Rachel Choi’s GIG Spark (Lesson on Compassion) submission. Her goal is to inspire people to disconnect from technology and connect with each other (after you read this blog and see this video, of course). Being in nature is like a long meditation and the best part is that it’s free.

Gigster: Rachel Choi, 17
Where: Hercules, Calif.
Spark: Get out and enjoy nature

GIG Spark was developed to create compassion through the exercise of brainstorming, problem solving and experiencing the joy of using your power to help others. Rachel shares her thoughts about what this particular experience meant to her:

“Something GIG Spark taught me? Don’t stop yourself from doing something just because you think it’s not going to change anything. Whether what you do is monumental or small, whether it affects a million people or just one person, what’s important is that you did something. It’s human nature to resist change, but at least you presented a chance to plant a seed of change in someone’s mind.”

We hope this video inspires you to round up some friends and family and enjoy nature.

TAKE ACTION:
1. Go camping
2. Go on a walk by yourself or with loved ones
3. Do what is in your power to help Empowering World Change, a nonprofit that spreads the message of sustainability and empowering kids for global change.

About Go Inspire Go (GIG):

GIG is about inspiring small actions that ripple out to meaningful changes. As we’ve experienced, the ripples continue to billow out, one story, one person, one act at a time.

FEELING INSPIRED? Make your own GIG SPARK and share with us. We may share it with the world.

As part of GIG’s mission to inspire our viewers to discover their power, we developed GIG Spark: A Lesson on Compassion. The goal is to spark action in everyone that witnesses your good deed. We want you to identify a problem in your community and be the change by capturing your action in a short 1-1:30 minute video. Use your passion and creativity to produce a GIG Spark and inspire viewers with your story! What can YOU do?

Follow us on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

The post GIG Spark: Get Out and Enjoy Nature appeared first on Go Inspire Go.