We can take care of each other: Craigslist Joe

This movie was recommended to me and I was blown away! This movie puts hope in society. It shows you the simple kindness in this country. Just watch it.

How do YOU define Yourself?

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Please watch the video before reading.

Are you as speechless as I am?

I am not going to let my circumstances define me. I'm going to take action for my life. I'm going to live my life by how I want others to remember me. And no one can take that away.

Where would I be, if you didn't believe.

The song of the day is BELIEVE by Justin Bieber. 

I know what you're thinking... Justin Bieber?! Well, just listen to the lyrics:

Cause everything starts from somethingBut something would be nothingNothing if your heart didn't dream with meWhere would I be, if you didn't believe

This song reminds me of my parents. When you think about it, where would any of us be if we didn't have our parents, or our family behind us believing in us.

Remember who belives in you, and don't forget to believe in others.

Change your thoughts.

Change your thoughts and you change your world. 
Norman Vincent Peale

Lately I have been trying to actively be aware of my thoughts. I have also tried to be aware of the things happening around me and how they make me feel.

Jeremy Sherman, Ph.D. believes emotions are flexibly, meaning they can be changed. In a moment of anger, frustration, or even happiness, how often are we to consider the emotion we are feeling?

Choosing how we react to situations (emotional intelligence) is very important. It can make us more mature individuals. It can help us to have disagreements in a civilized way. Imagine what would happen if our world could have disagreements in a way that wouldn't require war? How amazing that would be!

Think about your thoughts. Think thoughts that make the world a better place. Inspire others.

Let us know what you think about InspireOne on Twitter!

10 Things To Do Before Tomorrow

I've read many things that tell you what you need to do before you die. When I see those things, I think, "Cool, I'll do them next year, or next month." But, I never get around to doing them. So, I've decided to come up with 10 things to do before TOMORROW! (Depending on when you read this, you could have up to 24 hours before tomorrow. So, let's go!

1. Say, “Thank You”

Physiologists have proven that showing gratitude is a large contributing factor to HAPPINESS!

2. Read Something Inspiring

I don’t need statistics to back this up. Just do it. I dare you.

3. Pick Up Trash 

Let the world know you care, take care of your environment.

4. Dance

Grab a partner or dance by yourself. Dancing releases endorphins!

5. Draw a picture

When was the last time you sat down and let your creative side take over? Art has been said to be a therapy for all ages. Even if you don’t consider yourself an “artist,” you don’t need talent to move a crayon on a piece of paper.

6. Meditate

People who mediate are less anxious and neurotic, more spontaneous, independent, self confident, and empathetic. Take a moment of silence and breathe in and out.

7. Write A Note to Someone

As I mentioned before, gratitude increases happiness. Also, just remembering someone who has made a difference in your life makes you feel happy too!

8. Smile

Although it may sound crazy, a study was done by Wayne State University that predicted the life expectancy of people who smiled in their pictures. Can you guess the results? (I can give you a hint, people who smiled, lived longer.)

9. Look At The Small Details Around You

Go on a walk or look out the window. What has your creator given you? Look at the lines the buildings make or the colors in the trees. Stop and admire the little things.

10. Say, “I love Yo­­u.”

The end.

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Don't believe me? Check out these resources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHv6vTKD6lg

http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/dancing-release-endorphins-5764.html

http://meditationloft.com/downloads/Research%20&%20Statistics%20on%20The%20Benefits%20of%20Meditation.pdf

http://www.ted.com/talks/ron_gutman_the_hidden_power_of_smiling.html

Have the courage to be passionate.

The movie of the day is FREEDOM WRITERS. (Suggested by Sam)

Made in 2007, it is about a new teacher who "inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school." (IMDB)

The movie profiles a few students about their hard lives being in gangs, and believe that the only way to get somewhere in life is to have power and protect their territories.

Although I could not personally relate to the problems these students had to go through, I could relate to the inspiration they felt when someone encouraged them to do something more.

What Mrs. Gruwell had in this movie was passion. She took the risk of caring about her students; more than the 6 hours she was required to. And in the end, it made all the difference.

Don't be afraid to be passionate about something. Take a chance, and see the change it will make in the world and in yourself.

Maybe love is all you need.

When you are in love, it just reminds you you're alive. 

I came across this video today. At first, it seemed a little jumbled in thought. However, it has quite a bit to say.

It makes the sappy phrase, "all you need is love," have real meaning and purpose.

Who do you love?

Don't Stop Believin'

I'm a sweaty teenager in a dark room full of strangers that I have this special connection with. Colored lights are mixing in the sky. A euphoria starts settling in. No, I'm not on drugs.

But I am on the most inspiration high of my life. At 16 year old, it was the first time, I felt inspired to make the world a better place!

During the Banquet Dance at Leadership summer camp in 2007, I started connecting the dots between who I was and who I wanted to become. And the pinnacle was during the following song:

I didn't know exactly where I was going, what I wanted to do, but I knew whatever I was going to do, I was going to jump in with 2 feet.

I think that's the whole point of this song too--whatever you do, wherever you go, Don't stop Believin' that you can be somebody in this world!

I believe in you.

#inspireone

We are a Beautiful mosaic!

“We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.” -- Jimmy Carter 

A few weeks ago, Coca-Cola aired a commercial during the Superbowl. The video was 1 minute of a montage of americas with the song, "America the Beautiful" sung in different languages laid over the montage. It was a beautifully made video that received quite a bit of flack from some viewers.

The question in their comments was general one: Should an american song be sung in different languages?

And the answer is, yes.

Jimmy Carter put it beautifully. We are a "beautiful mosaic."

What make's the United States of America so special is that it has so many different cultures in it. Although we may not have deepest roots of culture or tradition, we have the opportunity to create it. Where else can that be done?

Let me know your thoughts on our beautiful mosaic! Find us on twitter, @inspireonedream. 

What is your fight?

We all have trials. For Koni Dole, it's a physical trial. However, instead of letting a trial define him, he defined his life by his goals and how hard he is going to work to accomplish them.

Mountains to Climb

This is one of my favorite videos! If you, or someone you know is going through a hard time, share this with them.



I believe our Heavenly Father has a plan for us. I believe we feel sorrow only so we can feel joy. I know he loves us and will help us if we ask him.

Never judge a book by it's cover.

An article written by Mike Wise of the Washington Post caught my eye today. The story is written about Shaun White and how he "delivered the Olympic moment of his life [and yet] failed to win a medal."

To read the article, click here!

Prove them wrong.

Here is one of my favorite commercials from the Super Bowl:

After it aired, this happened:

No one is alone in the world. You can always find someone to relate to, to aspire to be, and to make their day.

My mom didn't want me to be pretty.

I grew up in a family of 10. That’s right. 10. I have a mom, a dad, 2 brothers, and 5 sisters. With many girls in my family, you may wonder how my self esteem would be if my mom didn’t want me to be “pretty.”

My childhood bathroom may have looked different then others, growing up with 6 girls in my house. It was always filled with bows, lipstick, earrings, mascara, hair clips, brushes, curling irons…etc. There was pressure from a young age instilled in me to look good.

But not on the outside.

I must confess I remember my mom saying I look pretty, but my mom never wanted me to be pretty. She wanted me to be beautiful.

Beautiful is defined as “pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically; of a very high standard; excellent.” (Oxford dictionary.)

Pretty is defined as attractive in a delicate way without being truly beautiful or handsome. (Oxford dictionary)

I hope you can see why my mother wanted me to be one of these words and not the other, because I completely agree with her.   

In a Tedx talk given by experienced model Cameron Russel, she said we—our society—defines beauty and has for centuries.

In a TedxYouth talk, Clare Stem, a high school senior concurs with Russel stating, “Beauty is dependent on one person’s perspective at one point in time.”

My mother knew this. She knew that being pretty is letting me believe in one persons (or our society’s) definition of beauty. Being ‘pretty’ is checking the mirror to make sure you look perfect because you don’t want anyone to see imperfections. She knew that teaching me to obsess over my looks and not what is on the inside would be teaching me lies

Because she knew this she taught me that inner beauty or being truly beautiful is where life begins to matter. Because when you start to see your inner beauty, you start to notice others. You truly start to see why this world is a wonderful place.

Don’t just be pretty, be beautiful. And don’t forget to tell someone they are beautiful today.

Choose Happiness

Choose to be happy everyday.