5 Ways To Inspire Others 

As a trainer, a big part of my job is to motivate and inspire my clients. It’s my job to help them reach their goals and transform their lives. Over the years, I’ve  learned that one of the most effective tools to motivate people is to simply be the inspiration. Fact is, if you can learn how to get your own way in life and reach your own goals, you become living proof. You create a certain domino effect that can inspire those around you, showing them that dreams aren’t some intangible, unattainable, far-off thing.

Opposites may attract when it comes to love, but when it comes to personal development, you have to like yourself in order for others to. And the more you like yourself, the more permission you give to others to follow in your footsteps. As you continue to step into your personal power and potential, you create space and allowance for others to do the same. What a great thing to be able to give someone. And now that the holidays are here, we're all worrying about what to give friends, coworkers, and family members. To me, one of the best gifts you can give someone doesn’t cost a thing and has a lasting, positive effect. Here are five ways to give the gift of inspiration.

1: Be vulnerable: Many people think that being an inspiration means being tough, and acting as though nothing phases you. In some cases, you do have to be tough. But, more often, the best (and most beautiful) way to show who you really are is through vulnerability. Vulnerable doesn’t mean “weak“—it’s actually the opposite. To be vulnerable means being open and accepting of yourself just as you are—the good, the bad, and the yikes! It means allowing yourself to feel and allowing yourself to be imperfect. It means looking at yourself with no judgement and learning the lessons through hardships, instead of just plowing through life unaffected and unphased. When others see vulnerability in you, you give them permission to be the same and it’s incredibly freeing.

2: Be grateful: Gratitude can be hard to comprehend. For some people, it’s like thinking about being a millionaire when you’re making minimum wage and can barely pay your rent. Nice idea, but hard to hold onto, right? But gratitude doesn’t have to be some grand overarching concept. It can be much simpler in nature. And the more you practice gratitude, the better at it you become. Every day, try being grateful for the very smallest thing you can think of. For your morning coffee or your nice hot shower. Practice gratitude in small doses and you’ll quickly find that you’re a walking, talking advertisement for the power of gratitude.

3: Be easy on yourself: I was always one of those people who put myself down if something wasn’t perfect. I’d beat myself up emotionally and tear myself to pieces if I hadn’t accomplished everything I thought I should. Over time, I learned that this self-flagellation never did anything for me, except spiral me down the rabbit hole, making it harder to crawl back up to the surface. Taking yourself and life situations in a more lighthearted way creates an incredible amount of breathing room for you to grow, expand, and explore all of life’s possibilities. Start small. Force yourself to smile when you normally wouldn’t. Make yourself shrug when you would want to crawl into a corner. And learn to laugh when you make a mistake. By doing this, something that seemed so horrible at first will start to lose its power, and you’ll see that in the end, happiness is entirely about perspective.

4: Be present: Being present is similar to being grateful. If it were easy, we'd all be doing it. But it’s not! It can be a challenge since we’re often living for our future. Like gratitude, the trick to being present is starting with the simple stuff. When you sit down to eat breakfast, instead of looking at your phone or watching television, pay attention to your food. Savor each bite and be present with the experience. If you have someone you love sitting next to you at a meal, be present in the conversation. Look at them when they talk to you. Focus on really listening. Being present is by far, the greatest gift you can give to yourself and others.

5: Be willing to try: There have been times in my life where I didn’t try something because I didn’t think I'd succeed, or I was too afraid. And what happened? I never succeeded at that thing simply because I didn’t try. There’s no such thing as failure if you try—there are only lessons to be learned. Every time you try, you open a door to a new opportunity, or, to something better!

What are your tricks for motivating yourself or others? Share in the comments.

Photo: IBushuev / Vetta

Kit Rich is Los Angeles-based fitness trainer with endless exercise and nutritional know-how. Hollywood's hottest stars are addicted to Kit's unique, multi-disciplined approach that combines cardio, yoga, Pilates, and weight training. Kit's clients are immediately taken by her funny and honest approach to health and fitness. She treats her clients as she treats herself, "with a hard challenge, sensibility, sensitively, and a good laugh." Follow Kit on Twitter @kitrichfitness.