Inspiration vs. Perspiration

Who inspires you? No, not perspires, inspires. I'll tell you who makes me sweat - Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gossling...apparently I have a thing for actors named Ryan. Oh and I can't forget my new fave Garrett Hedlund (yes, I saw Country Strong, judge away - his voice was the only good thing about that movie)...but I digress,  back to inspiration.

People who inspire me are the ones who live passionately every day. By that, I mean people who truly believe in what they do and excite and inspire those around them, whether they intend to or not. People who have a variety of interests and things going on in their lives and are passionate about them all, they genuinely love life. Spending time with them (via TV, internet or in person) can result in new thoughts and perspectives that lead to new goals and actions.  Here are just a few people that inspire me to get more active, do more, live up to my fullest potential and to dig deeper when I need to. In no particular order.....

Oprah. She is a full sentence just by herself.  What? You haven't heard of her? Do you live under a rock? She OWNs cable now, in addition to her talk show and magazine! But more than that, she worked hard to get where she is today and is involved with a variety of projects that she really does seem to be passionate about. Between her TV show, her new TV network, book club, magazine, production company, and charitable givings she helps millions of people "live their best life" every single day. Don't believe me? Spend a little time on her website, reading stories and taking quizzes that will, at the very least, make you think. And she has committed to giving away at least half of her fortune to charity, how awesome is that? 

Kris Carr. She is a self proclaimed "wellness warrior" who fought cancer with vegetables and a vengeance. She has come back with more sparkle, pizazz and positivity that she shares with the world on her website - Crazy Sexy Life. I saw her documentary at SXSW a few years back and have been a fan ever since. Not only does she shares her knowledge and personal experiences about her quest for health, but she also solicits advice and guest posts from experts in a variety of fields (yoga, holistic heath, nutrition, and so so so much more).

Mike Thompson. Mike is a 25 year old, 4 time cancer survivor who is currently training for his first full Iron Man here in Texas to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. That's a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run, all in one day, to be completed in under 17 hours!  I had the pleasure of getting to know Mike through Team in Training this past year, he is truly an inspiration for all. Check out his website to read his full story - even the coldest of hearts will warm a little after reading about this awesome guy.

Pam LeBlanc. Pam has what I deem to be the coolest job in the city of Austin, and possibly in the entire state of Texas. She writes the Fit City Blog for the Austin American Statesmen, which basically means she gets paid (I assume) to do cool, fun, fitness related activities and then write about them. From skiing in Colorado, to hiking and camping in Yellowstone to mountain biking in Big Bend National Park, she takes amazing adventurous trips and shares her experiences with her readers. She also writes about local events and fitness folks here in the Austin area, and I can't leave out the fact that she bikes to and from work almost every day.


Who inspires you?