"Darkness cannot drive out darkness;
only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." -- Martin Luther King Jr.

Inspiration: The infusion or arousal within the mind of some idea, feeling or impulse that leads to creative action.

What do we get from that word, that value, that definition? Excitement, passion, creativity, being influenced, and the ability to influence others are just a few. What about new ideas, change, originality, or opportunity to make a difference; to leave your mark? Just thinking about it makes me excited!

What happens when you get excited about something? There's a physiological change that takes place; your heart beats faster, you breathe more quickly, sometimes your face even gets a bit flushed. It's like adrenalin or a runner's high we've all heard about when endorphins are released in the brain, and it FEELS GREAT! Who wouldn't like to feel great?

The ability to inspire others is in all of us and it's a choice. Just like we choose our attitude, we make a conscious decision to be in control of our lives and our destiny. An uninspired and uninspirational life leaves us empty and bored, looking for something, but unsure of what.

Inspiration is passion and passion is contagious. It gives us the power to direct our lives down the road we choose, to reach new heights, to feel fulfilled.

If you are excited about something you become passionate about it, you talk about it, your body language shows your eagerness, and that kind of positive energy is so catching. It's like telling a joke. If you really get into it and you're smiling and laughing and your voice tones are going up and down, your audience is laughing before you're anywhere near the punch line. That's engagement. Inspiration is a form of engagement. It gets others aligned and excited with you.

Why is it important to be inspired? We hear so much negativity in today's world. So many people complain about the hand life has dealt them and envy others for what they have, without even trying to make things better. Hey, if no effort is put forth, there is no achievement to reap the benefits and rewards for.

Many feel its okay to do the bare minimum but feel they still deserve the maximum reward. Funny enough, even if they get it, they aren't happy.

Why, you say? Inspired actions create fulfilling rewards and without any effort, there is no appreciation. That's because it's the hard work and accomplishment that makes the reward so great!

Some people feel inspired but are afraid to take action. It's safer, no one notices them and they can't make any mistakes if they don't do anything. What's wrong with this picture? Borrring. Step up, climb out of your comfort zone, and inspire others to do the same.

Can you imagine the energy that could be generated on a team where everyone was so passionate about their work and inspired those around them to be the same.

Who doesn't want to be happy or feel fulfilled? Well, believe it or not, it's not up to others to make us happy. Besides, happiness is not something one can aim for, per se, and achieve but rather is a byproduct of living well, giving, achieving, caring and growing.

At RYD there are so many opportunities and so much to learn. Have you ever hear the expression, “The harder I worked, the luckier I got!” It's up to you.

The other side of inspiration is the giving end; the ability to influence others to embrace new ideas and challenges. One who is passionate about their beliefs and lives authentically, often creates a strong following. They live their values daily and those around them naturally follow and look to them for leadership and guidance.

Mother Teresa and Ghandi were both very passionate in their beliefs and their lives' work that it went so far as to be their missions in life. That dedication and commitment was inspirational and caused so many to do so much good.

"Leaders inspire people from within. Too many people let their disappointments and cynicism slowly extinguish their life spark. When people care deeply about their work, they don't need to be pushed into performing at their best. A burning commitment is a clear hallmark of passionate and highly effective leader. When we connect with our inner spirit, we feel the most intensely alive." -- Jim Clemmer

Why is inspiration a key core value for RYD? At RYD, everyone on the team takes tremendous pride in being part of this organization. Why do you think that is? I've heard some say they're proud of our reputation in the dental community. Others say they are proud of the quality of our care and the treatment of our guests. Yet others say they love being on the cutting edge, having the opportunities for professional development, and being in a state-of-the-art facility. What I hear in all those comments is a “WOW”, for being part of something great.

But how did RYD come to be this way, this elegant, progressive leader / example of dental offices? More importantly, how does it continue to be this way and maintain its high standing in the dental community and in our neighbourhood? Many events and experiences lead up to the vision or the “inspiration” behind this “spa-type”, comfortable, “guest”-focused, high-end facility. We, the team that runs the delicate balance between high quality dentistry and top-notch customer service is the backbone that makes or breaks RYD.

How do we make, and keep, RYD the best of the best? How do we find inspired and inspirational people to join our team? How do we inspire them to come to work every day with their minds, hearts and hands fully engaged.

Everyday, in everything we do, we can aspire to be better. In John Maxwell's words, leaders demonstrate “constructive discontent” vs. just complaining. Rather than being negative and critical, bring forth positive ideas and suggestions for effective change and improvement.

Inspiration, like attitude, is something you can look to others for but, ultimately, it's your own responsibility, a choice as to how engaged and committed you will be, how driven or passionate, how much you look to give to others rather than looking for what others can give to you.

Are you waiting to be inspired? With no interest or passion to inspire you and no reason to share this passion, or to inspire others around you, you can easily become complacent. You stop pay attention to your surroundings, your team mates, your guests. You lack any desire to grow or do better, and your job is just a job.

We all know people in those situations and their common complaint is boredom and it's always someone else's fault. They expect someone or something else to inspire them.

Life will happen if you sit back and let it. Conversely, you have the ability to make life happen the way you want it to. That choice can mean hard work and lots of effort, but the rewards are huge.

Look not for the difficulties in the opportunity, but rather, look for he opportunities in the difficulty. -- author unknown