Here are three things that are pumping me full of inspiration this week…
1. The Body Coach
Top of my Inspiration Three this week is Joe Wicks, The Body Coach. I first came across Joe’s YouTube Channel about three years ago. I was looking for a HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout to do at home and one of his videos popped up.
Then last week, my sister-in-law sent me a link for “this guy who’s doing live workouts for families stuck at home during the COVID-19 crisis and reaching millions of people.” I checked out the link she sent and it was good old Joe. His channel exploded over the last week; 1.93M subscribers right now and his workout this morning has already had 1,3M views.
About two weeks ago, on March 19, he announced that he would be doing daily workouts aimed at children. Two letters, that he added, and of course seven years of preparation, made the difference; ‘P.E.’ It’s not just a workout – it’s P.E., a replacement for the normal school P.E. sessions.
In seven days, his channel blew up. This weekend he was on CNN, BBC, Australian TV and other TV networks. He’s been featured on the ESPN, TechRadar, The Guardian and NPR websites and others. It’s escalated to a point where the dude can’t even take a walk with his family without making news. and where
Icing on the cake. He’s announced that he’ll be donating all proceeds from his workouts during the crisis to National Health Service.
WHY HE INSPIRES ME
His persistence. His journey. His energy. His heart.
2. COVID-19 Frontline Workers
This is the third week that my family and I will be cooped up in our house as we join millions of others around the world in self-isolation.
The other day, I was getting ready to go and do some grocery shopping and the postman went by. I realized that I was anxious about a short visit to the shops but some people in unseen jobs are still going out there every day and keeping us all going.
We all know about the brave work being done by doctors, nurses and other medical personnel. But there are mail workers, delivery people, grocery store workers, policemen, journalists and many others who are out there too, taking risks for the lives, needs and comforts of others. Here’s where the screw is really tight; they are risking not just their lives but those of their families as well. A neighbor of ours, for instance, works in cleaning services at a medical facility.
WHY THEY INSPIRE ME:
They are taking a big one for team humanity, many without any extra income.
3. Benjamin Hardy & Sunny Lenarduzzi on Sending Voice Notes to People
I’m subscribed to Benjamin Hardy‘s email newsletter and he recently sent out a mail shot where he spoke about the power of sending out voice notes to friends and family. “Audio-texting is the new hand-written letter for good friends,” he says and then goes on to explain the power of hearing someone’s voice.
He echoes sentiments expressed by Sunny Lenarduzzi when she talks about sending voice messages to people on Instagram as a way of building relationships.
WHY THIS INSPIRES ME
I’ve been looking at ways to connect with friends and family at a deeper level and go beyond texts. Sometimes phone calls are hard to schedule because people are in different time zones and life gets hectic.
PICTURE: Delivery workers are among those who are working during the COVID-19 crisis | Maarten van den Heuvel
Writer | Digital Storyteller | Web Developer
I believe that every serious artist should be able to make a living from their work if they want to and I’m on a mission to find the best tools, ideas, and resources to help artists succeed. I experiment with business models, monetization ideas, and new technology in my own creative process as part of this journey of discovering.