(DISCLAIMER: I am not a certified medical or mental health professional, this blog is meant to be shared as a personal experience and reflection)

Im back with my thoughts after the longest break from this blogging space. I took a much needed sabbatical from sharing my thoughts publicly. I was hard on myself for taking an entire month and a half off, but now the creative juices are flowing again.

Today, I wanted to talk about my experience with something I call “inspired action”. What is it? I label it as a call to action with weight, meaning and intention. For me, It’s a necessary practice that allows me to live a balanced lifestyle, without straying away from what’s authentic to me or my values.

I believe that we live in a society that’s constantly pressuring us be in a state of action and forcefulness. Terms that come to mind when I think of this are “It’s all on you to make it happen” or “get it while it lasts”. For most of my life, I lived on a constant hamster wheel of activated, self induced stress and anxiety. I would dart from obligation to obligation, always panicking about my life progress or lack thereof. This all may sound broad, and well…. its because it is. I was like this in every aspect of my life: School, friendships, romantically, familial relationships and career. I used to think that this was the way to be successful in all aspects of my life. Taking on the burden of certain responsibilities constantly, always being the initiator and being the over communicator in most situations or relationships. I would always wonder why certain opportunities fell through my fingertips or why I felt like so many of my friendships were so unbalanced. By the end of 2021, I was so burnt out that I decided to try a different approach. I prioritized myself and stopped worrying about maintaining the upkeep with certain friendships or general responsibilities within reason. I stopped attending social events that I knew would drain my energy. To my surprise, I felt instantly better and I got more professional opportunities, but also I lost A LOT of friends and at least one romantic relationship. This experience was so jarring that it felt like a part of me was dying by losing these people. However, my belief is that this process actually allowed people who weren’t supposed to be in my life to clear out. Kind of like spring cleaning!

Enter the idea of “Inspired Action”. After realizing my identity as more of an introvert and choosing myself, I now had to revisit the concept of taking action. I still believe in being an active player in my life, being an initiator, being open to vulnerable and uncomfortable situations. I just had to redefine my relationship with it. Instead of forcing everything to happen, or doing the opposite by keeping completely to myself, I found a happy medium. I call it “Inspired Action”. For me, it means that I take action when it feels right and absolutely necessary. Its like this guttural sensation I get below my heart. When I feel it, I know that whatever im about to do isnt just about the external outcome, the potential project, or the potential other person involved, but that it’s for me. I know that by taking “Inspired Action”, im staying true to myself by performing an action that would benefit me as a human. It means when I pursue a project, Im doing it for the right reasons, or when I tell someone, “I love you”, I did it because I mean’t it. I hope this made sense! This was fun to share.

Love you all,

Blake C.