I’m trying something a bit different today. I’ve seen a lot of inspiring articles and videos around the Internet lately and I want to share some with you:
First up is Cory Richards and his journey from homeless teen to National Geographic photographer. In the video below, Cory talks about strength, resilience, and adventure or, in his own words, “what it means to hurt, what it means to triumph, and what it means to be human”:
A Tribute to Discomfort: Cory Richards from Blue Chalk on Vimeo.
For more from Cory, check out his official website and National Geographic profile.
Next I’d like to share Smita Malhotra, M.D.’s 5 Characteristics of Incredibly Resilient People. The pediatrician/writer/photographer tells the story of her aunt’s cancer diagnosis and how her positivity through the process left her strengthened by the experience.
Which reminds me of a blog I recently discovered: The Naked Gardiner. Founder Kathy Gardiner, who I met in Thailand in 2011, has battled melanoma for many years. Her blog is not just about cancer, however, but about her desire “to live clean, toxic-free and abundantly.” She shares “my love for life, the foods that I enjoy and the people, things and objects that inspire me. It’s a blog about self discovery, reinvention and gratitude.”
Finally, I’d like to share a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to live our best lives and do our best work: How to Love the Age You Are, an article from Oprah’s June issue.
I turn 37 this year and, when you’re around teens as often as I am, that can seem old. The kids will tell you that it’s old anyway. I sometimes feel like I should have accomplished more by this point in my life but, as the writers below prove, it’s never too late. Some of my favorites:
- The Joy of 35… Aimee Morgan, a programmer from Mountain View, Calif., proves that it is never too late to learn a new skill, even a challenging one.
- The Joy of 36… Writer Penny Wrenn on why you should throw an incredible party for yourself, even if you’re not getting married, buying a house, or starting a new job.
- “The Joy of 50… Your Creativity Is Blooming. On average, painters produce their greatest work just before the two-thirds mark of their lives, according to a recent study. The typical American woman lives to 81, so your early 50s are the perfect time to get working on your own masterpiece.”
- The Joy of 59…Genevie Kocourek, MD, from Muskego, Wis., describes the “humbling, exhausting, wondrous” experience of becoming a doctor in her 50s.
And if these lovely ladies don’t convince you, the magazine also featured Tao Porchon-Lynch, a 95-year-old yoga instructor and dancer, and 100-year-old Agnes Zhelesnik, a full-time home economics instructor at the Sundance School in New Jersey. W-O-W, right?
So, what do you think about this first installment of Internet inspiration? If you like it, please let me know which piece inspired you most, in the comments.
Thanks,
