Thanks for the inspiration, even though you didn't know it.

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There has been no better compliment in the world than someone telling you a statement that started with the phrase, "You inspired me to..."  For me, it has sometimes been just a small comment, like, "You've inspired me to wear more bright colors" or, "You are the reason why I started [fill in the blank]."  If that isn't quiet validation for how you live your life, I don't know what is.

I don't live my life for others, but it is always encouraging to know when I may have inspired something in someone else's life.  Over the course of years though, I remember very vividly the impactful moments when someone spoke to me with a phrase starting with, "You inspired me to..."  Every single one of them.

This helps me think about what I might be doing in my life that is inspiring someone right now without my knowing, and that helps remind me that I better be giving my best effort.  I better go work out, I better be a nice person, and I better be a leader in my work.  I do these things for me, and I do these things for that person who might get inspired.  I don't do these things for anyone else.

I think it is important to pay homage to the people who have quietly inspired me, and that I have probably forgotten to tell them that they made an impact.

• To the news anchors, musicians, and business leaders who keep it real and are successful by being themselves instead of somebody else. Rachel Maddow, Zooey Deschanel, Sheryl Sandberg, you inspire me that success doesn't have to look like someone else's design.
• To so many of my friends and my sister that are awesome at being moms among many other things, you inspire me by making it look easy when I imagine that it is not.  At all. But worth it.
• To my choice few and impactful work mentors, you inspired me with persistence.
• To my parents, you inspire me with your adult wisdom and I have realized it is totally okay that I am becoming just like you in my old age.
• To my friends with awesome blogs (Victor, Kate, Kathryn and Michelle), you inspire me to provide a platform for the things that I enjoy, because chances are someone else will too.
• To my husband, who inspires me and lifts me up so often, I can't even categorize it.

Share the impact and tell someone about their impact on you.  They don't know that they inspired you, just like you never know who you may inspire.