We asked some of the most inspiring folks we know to tell us what they are inspired by.

Engel Indo | Advocate, Musician, Author

As cliché as this may sound, my inspiration has always been my children, and now by extension, my grandchildren. To be particularly creative, you must have a driving force that is constantly evolving, as are you, your inspiration then becomes your way of life, your why in life, and your life itself. One must be merged together with what inspires you in order to do great things. Not to say I’ve done anything great, I am merely trying to do the best I can for, and with, those I care about. Read more>>

Deidra Peaches | Dine’ (Navajo) Filmmaker

I am inspired to create and convey stories that resonate with my identity as a Dine’ Woman. Growing up, there was hardly any representation of Native people in mainstream media. Today as a Filmmaker, I continue to make content centered around Native issues. Whether that being documentaries, narratives, or music videos, I tend to create content that emphasizes the Dine’ epistemology. Read more>>

Edward Mitchell | Photographer & Data Analyst

Inspiration for a photo comes in many forms. If it’s a senior portrait, for example, I’ll draw inspiration from the graduate’s own interests & try to incorporate that into the shoot. For landscape and night photos I’m inspired by light. If I can, I create visual interest with available light (such as passing cars’ headlamps) and use that to draw attention to an interesting point in the subject. Read more>>

Ryan Looney | Travel Blogger & Videographer

I’m in control of my destiny. Every action or inaction I take will take me a step in one direction or another and only I am in control of where I land. This principle matters the most to me because it helps me maintain a perspective of self reliance and prevents me from blaming others for my shortcomings. Read more>>

Tiffany Arenas | Preschool Owner & Lead Educator

One of the most powerful gifts we can give another human being is our presence. I believe this is important when working with children. They know when we are present and they know when we are not. They feel it and it impacts them. What does being present mean to me? It means listening carefully as a child excitedly shares something on their minds. Other times it means being quiet as they let out big emotions. At the end of my days with children, I ask myself, “How was I present today? Were there times when I was not? How can I be more present tomorrow?” Read more>>

Yusuke Kuroda | ORIGAMI RAMEN BAR founder

The principle I keep in mind is 1. Life is short. 2. People do not know when they will die. 3. Everyone is born with a mission. I always keep these three principles in mind. Death is very sad, but being aware of death is a vital force in my daily life. Because, in my favorite Buddhist teaching, there is the word Ichinichi Issyou in Japanese. Read more>>

Cameron / Kathy Dunn | Authors

Our most important principle is love. Love is a powerful influence that overcomes all boundaries and embraces so many qualities. It embraces kindness, compassion, empathy, honesty, and integrity. Love is the feeling, the spirit, that power that ascends us to our highest self. As a daily practice love lets us relate with what other people are experiencing or hardships they may be living through. We try to understand the internal struggles others may have and often find similar grounds. We do this to engage in compassion for others. Read more>>