Inspiration can come from the most unexpected places. Athletic footwear slogans like Nike’s “Just Do It” or Reebok’s “Because life is not a spectator sport” line can rev up your pace on a treadmill.  I’ve seen friends post images of Albert Einstein, Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King, Jr., on their screen savers to inspire creativity, kindness or the knowledge that change is always possible. Heck, my former dentist used to have a poster of a kitty dangling from a tree limb urging one to “hang in there” on his ceiling.  I’m not kidding. While it might have provided comfort for some, the poster just reminded me that I was trapped with a drill in my mouth for the next hour.

Last night, I received a surprising dose of inspiration from Green Day. Yeah, the rock band that has a core following with tattoos and green hair. While three or four of their songs live on my iPod, I didn’t know much about them before the concert. My boyfriend sprung for the tickets, and it was something different to do on a Monday night. Expectations were low.

It turned out to be fantastic. Not just because much of their music was great, and the lead singer is one of the best live performers I’ve seen. What I really dug was how the band constantly pulled their fans out of the crowd to join them onstage.  It didn’t matter if people couldn’t sing their way out of a paper bag, or had no rhythm. They jumped at the opportunity to interact with Green Day, get sprayed with a water hose (that luckily didn’t reach back to our seats) or be showered with confetti at the end. The high energy and spirit of inclusion was infectious. Justin and I happily shouted whatever random song lyrics we recognized and swayed with our arms in the air.

For me, the experience was a parable about life. The lesson is to just jump right in, without regard for how you are going to look to others.  Scared to be the first one on the dance floor? If you start shaking your butt out there, you’re going to have fun. Hesitant to join a Zumba class because you don’t know the steps? Stand in the back where you won’t hurt anyone and just have a great time doing whatever you can.

What has inspired you to do something different lately?