True inspiration –  or inspiration not based on material gain – is something that speaks to our heart.  It encourages us to lean harder into who we really are.  When we feel inspired, we don’t think “I want to be more like you.”  Rather, we think “I want to be more like myself.”

Inspiration is about admiring the courage of another person doing what we know to be a truth for ourselves.  Inspiration speaks to our being and says “Come, you too are worthy.”

Over the weekend, my husband and I were flipping through television shows and stopped for a few minutes on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher.  On the program was Marianne Williamson, a spiritual teacher, lecturer, and author of many best-selling books. I was inspired by Williamson – not by what she said but by where she was saying it. I’ve typically only seen her in supportive settings, formats like digital live-streams of her lectures or on “inspiration friendly” programs like Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday.

But this time, as Theodore Roosevelt might say, she was in “the arena,” fearlessly maneuvering through the battlefield of a political satire talk show.  Her message of applying love to every circumstance was going over like a lead balloon.  Yet, there she sat across from an aggressive Bill Maher talking about prayer and love, not once wavering on what was true in her heart.

Two things inspired me about Williamson’s interview.  First, the truth in your heart will always take a hit from someone.  Don’t run away when it happens.  So often, we base our value on how people respond to what we have to say or what we believe.

I’m not referring to beliefs based on ego.  I’m referring to beliefs based on heart.  If someone criticizes us or rejects what our heart feels, we have a tendency to close down and stop putting our heart out into the world.

But, it’s at this moment that our heart’s message can do the most good.  It was liberating to watch someone like Williamson, a powerful spiritual teacher who has dedicated her life to love, sit on a disagreeing panel and have her “heart” whacked to pieces.

Not everyone will always want to hear what’s in our heart.  But that doesn’t mean the truth that dwells within us is not real.  It just means we must be stronger and more courageous with how it is shared.

The second thing that inspired me during Williamson’s interview is that righteousness does not pick sides.  Not only does it not pick a side, it knows no sides at all because goodness can arise anywhere at any time.

This became apparent as I watched very successful, well-educated, and articulate people present their opinions next to Williamson who was merely presenting her heart.

I’m not saying that righteousness cannot dwell on your side but don’t expect it to stay there all the time.  It moves.  We need to allow space for it to move which means having an open mind and an open heart.

An open mind doesn’t always have an instant answer for everything.  If someone instantly has an answer or response, chances are it’s not coming from a very deep place.  It’s most likely coming from the surface of one’s ego.  It’s okay not to know and it’s okay to change sides as long as your heart is leading the way.

The more open our hearts are, the more open we are to inspiration.  All true inspiration, regardless of what it is that moves us, calls us to act, and eventually draws us closer to ourselves and to one another.

It is a part of the “upward” movement of our soul.