Use the sparks
Sparks are so beautiful, aren’t they? Sparks flash everyday. They are moments of energy igniting briefly sometimes, and weakly sometimes. When you have a spark, use it to fuel something bigger to move forward as much as you can in that moment. Take the opportunities to move your day forward, create, and support your joy.
I write this early. This morning I woke up at 2:35 a.m. with no fatigue, no reason, no anxiety… just… woke up. This never happens. I could have rolled over and gone to bed, but for an unknown reason, I felt good, really good, and knew this was a special opportunity. This is not one that comes any day, most days, really, and I know I couldn’t do this everyday, but this morning, I used the spark.
It is incredibly challenging to be a parent, work, move forward in your career, act on all the projects you want to innovate and progress, and even just live, during the pandemic which is now approaching a milestone 1 year. Every day, however, you may or may not notice, there are moments you find a spark of energy or a spark of inspiration or motivation. Sometimes we let these go, and sometimes we do a great job of exploiting those moments to inspire something bigger. I used mine this morning and it supported a pretty nice warm fire of recording lectures, designing new lectures, writing on a manuscript, catching up on emails, and taking even a few moments for self-care in writing in a reflection journal. Fatigue might hit later, and in that moment, I will take the opportunity to rest.
I sometimes put limits on when I should be working or not, and what scheduling defines my productivity. This morning, I felt a push, noticed a spark, and made it bigger and I feel… happy. I feel joy that I had a moment of today in which I could do all I wanted to do for a few hours, set myself up for success today, and gave myself space in the day for a rest later to respect my body and mind’s cycle of work today. Sparks are beautiful and come in all forms for inspiring diverse downstream events. Find your sparks today, please, and use them to drive a decision or an action you might have hesitated on, and make your positive spark into something productive, joyful, and fulfilling. I hope you enjoy your day today. I send out a quiet prayer and thought this morning generally for anyone who needs even a little spark to make a little fire in your day.
