Relationships: Surround Yourself With People Who Inspire You

In Episode 9 of The Business Mamas Podcast, I introduced a Framework for Enhanced Well-Being - Focus on Beliefs, Relationships & Making Heart-Guided Decisions.

Today, I want to talk with you more about relationships, and specifically I want to talk about your relationship with your community and the larger world, and how you can surround yourself with people who inspire you.

Surrounding yourself with people who inspire you doesn't have to be people that you already know. These can be people you know of who are showing up in the world in ways that you admire and in ways that you would like to show up too.

Why should you surround yourself with people who inspire you?

If you feel lonely, you don't need to feel that way. We aren't meant to do this life alone.

It feels so good to be in a positive mindstate. Once you start practicing this and spending more of your time in a positive mindstate you'll understand the benefits by experiencing them.

Your mindstate is the greatest asset or liability that you have; invest in it.

I am not talking about how smart you are. I am talking about how much you believe in yourself and how committed you are to taking action.

It feels good to support others. When you surround yourself with people who inspire you, you are supporting them by buying their books or listening to their podcasts. You are supporting someone to continue showing up in the world in a way that is benefiting you and others. By encouraging another person or helping open a door for another person, you are part of creating more positivity in the world and that is valuable too.

So how can you surround yourself with people who inspire you? Here are a few ideas:

1) You can be inspired by books.

I have read so many amazing books that have changed my life. I know that I've talked about some of them already on this podcast and I'm sure I will continue to talk about them because books are oftentimes someone digesting down the most important life lessons that they feel like they can teach to others and then sharing those ideas. I find it inspiring to read the words and wisdom of other people who have been intentional about the way that they want to live their lives and I appreciate what I can learn from them by reading their books.

2) You can be inspired by podcasts.

I love podcasts, and in my life when I feel low and I feel like I need some encouragement, I lean on podcasts. I have certain people's podcasts that I know I've already mentioned to you and I might mention again here just in case you need some ideas for where else you can go for inspirational podcasts.

A few good ones are Lori Harder's, “Earn your Happy”, Cara Alwill’s “Style Your Mind”, and Christine Hassler’s “Over It and On With It”. A podcast for business owners that I really enjoy and get a lot out of is one by Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt-Miller called “Lead to Win”.

Depending on what you feel like you need, there's a podcast out there to support you! Podcasts are a great way to be inspired and I hope that this podcast is providing some inspiration and support for you too.

3) You can be inspired at seminars or retreats.

I have discussed in some previous podcast episodes how much I've gotten out of attending in-person retreats. I’ve also attended digital retreats/seminars that are being offered on Zoom. Seminars and retreats can be really inspiring because you can learn from people that are doing things that you want to be doing or are taking care of themselves in ways that you want to be taking care of yourself.

4) You can be inspired by mentors.

You can find mentors anywhere. You can find them on social media, by attending their seminars or attending their retreats. You can find them by getting involved in your community. Be inspired by people who have gone before you, who have previously struggled with some of the same things you're struggling with right now. Reach out to them.

I know that when I was a newer lawyer and I was also new to the legal community in San Luis Obispo when we returned to the area shortly after my son, Jackson, was born in 2012, I joined the San Luis Obispo Women Lawyers Association. I specifically was asking for mentors and I was lucky enough to get matched up with a mentor who was another lawyer mom. I knew that I had a safe place with her to talk about the challenges that I was facing as a lawyer and as a mom, and trying to do my best in both of those areas that were so important to me. It was really wonderful to know that I had another woman lawyer mama whose kids were quite a bit older than my own baby at the time, and who could offer ideas for things that she did that helped her with navigating balancing work and family.

5) You can be inspired by your family.

I know that when I get really present with my children, they can be two of my biggest teachers. I learn so much by just being with them and by playing with them and by listening to them, and by seeing the world through their eyes. They inspire me all the time.

6) You can be inspired by your friends.

What exciting new growth are your friends experiencing?

How can you support them and be inspired by their action?

Be inspired by their way of being, by how they're transforming themselves or their lives. Look in your group of friends and see who you can be inspired by.

7) You can be inspired by participating in professional organizations.

I mentioned that when I came back to San Luis Obispo after our son, Jackson, was born, one of the first organizations I joined was the San Luis Obispo Women Lawyers Association. It's a professional organization of women lawyers in my community that supports one another and supports the advancement of women in the legal profession. I'm so glad to be a part of that organization and to get to participate in the advancement of women in the legal profession in San Luis Obispo where I live.

Another organization that I joined that is near and dear to my heart is NAWBO, the National Association of Women Business Owners. One of the mottoes of NAWBO that I love is, never apologize for being ambitious. I love being in a room of NAWBO members that are these empowered women business owners who are excited to grow, learn, and to be there together and to rise with one another. It's a really special group that I feel really lucky to participate in. You can surround yourself with people who inspire you by joining organizations where those kinds of people hang out.

8) You can be inspired by participating in small support groups or masterminds.

I know I've already talked with you on this podcast about my mastermind group that I'm in with three other women business owners. We meet twice a month and support one another in our businesses and personal lives and you can create that kind of smaller support group for yourself, whether you're a business owner or not.

I know that I've just given you a lot of different ideas about how you can surround yourself with people who inspire you, whether it's books, podcasts, seminars, mentors, people in your family, your friends, professional organizations that you join, or by participating in small groups, support groups or masterminds.

In my experience, what goes into my calendar actually happens, and what doesn't go into my calendar, just doesn't get done.

Since surrounding yourself with people who inspire you is important for your own well-being, my call to action to you is that today you put at least one thing in your calendar that is going to inspire you. Maybe that’s setting aside a little bit of time next week to read that book you've been wanting to read or maybe it's setting aside a little bit of time to listen to a podcast that you know uplifts you. Or maybe it's reaching out to that friend that you've been meaning to reconnect with for a while.

There are a lot of different ways that you can proactively surround yourself with people who inspire you and you deserve it. You deserve to be inspired. You deserve to be nurtured, you deserve to feel well and taken care of, and you can do these things to help yourself feel that way.

If you enjoyed Episode 19 and this blog post, I would love it if you shared the blog or the podcast with someone you think could benefit from them. I would also be incredibly grateful if you could leave an honest rating and review of The Business Mamas Podcast on Apple Podcasts as that helps more people find the show and it helps me in sharing this message of practicing self-love and self-care with more people whose lives I know could be enriched by hearing it. Sign up to download my Morning Routine Guide and receive my twice-monthly newsletter at The Business Mamas Podcast.

Until next time and with gratitude, Kara Stein-Conaway, @karasteinconaway on Instagram.