August 20, 2025

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Finding Inspiration in Yourself

Steve Gwisdalla

Finding Inspiration in Yourself

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By Steve Gwisdalla

Hello Tribe of Up. Last week, I wrote about inspirational people. This week, I want to talk about each of you. If you are someone who reads these articles with any regularity, then you know the mission statement of the Tribe of Up. Advocate for more joy. In that quest, it can be easy to perform kindness for another. We can donate from our time, talent, or money for those less fortunate. All of these are necessary to help advocate for more joy. This week, however, I invite you all to look at yourselves. If you are like me, this is not an easy thing to do. It is far easier to help a friend or show kindness to a stranger than to accept a compliment or an act of kindness from someone else. So, this week, the ultimate question is:

What about you is inspiring to others?

Other ways to ask this question would be, what are your best attributes? What are you good at? Are you known for anything special? Helping others find their light in a dark place is one thing. Finding our own can be far more challenging. Take a moment. This article is not going anywhere. Put it down and grab a piece of paper and a pencil. Produce a list of things you feel you are good at. This is a list for you and you alone, so silly things are completely acceptable. Always willing to do what I ask you to do, here are a few examples from my list. I am fairly good at:

Making breakfast

Teaching my puppy

Telling corny dad jokes

Listening

Being an ‘armchair’ umpire when my son is pitching. That curve ball was a strike ump!

Career and success coaching

Being the best dad and husband, I know how to be.

Some serious ones. Some funny ones (that armchair umping one is both funny and serious. It was a strike!) but things I feel I have the ability to make the world better around me. More inspiring. Ok, back to you. What are some things that you do, or skills possessed, or experiences had where you felt inspired? Let your eyes see what your brain is thinking by writing them down.

For all our talk about advocating for more joy and having one of our many tribes in our lives be a tribe of up, free from negativity, polarization, and side-taking, it begins within us. It is difficult to help others find their light when we cannot find our own. Take stock of what makes you awesome. Focus on those things. All too often we try to fix our shortcomings. In career coaching I talk with clients about focusing on what you do well and improve upon it. Do not focus on shortcomings as much. The same holds true for the Tribe of Up. Focus on you. What about you inspires you? Focus on those things. Work to improve and expound those pieces of you into bigger pieces of your life. Then and only then will it be easier to help others. Sharpen those tools in your proverbial toolbox.

On second thought, that curveball may have been a little outside. I just remembered I wasn’t wearing my glasses during that game. See? Self-improvement takes on all shapes and sizes. I guarantee you are inspiring to people. Find those things in yourself and round off some rough edges. Work on yourself. Find a little ‘you’ time. We all need what you have to offer. We are counting on you! Steve is a Dexter resident and the Owner, Chief Household Breakfast Maker, Vice President of Puppy Training and very average armchair umpire at Better Place Consulting, a success, career, and life coaching company. Reach out to him at [email protected]

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