ABOUT

Hi there and welcome to Inspiring Max!  I am married with children and all my working life, I have helped people improve their mental health and quality of life. Celebrating my 50th birthday recently, caused me to choose to change my life and do things differently. Commencing this blog, a place where I  share my thoughts, experiences, travels and other things from the patchwork quilt of my life, is one of these life changes.

I believe the way you look at the world changes your outcomes, and I  always focus on the positives in any situation. Developing a spark of hope into a fire that warms you and lights your path is my goal. Life is too short not to make the most of what we have.

Joining Toastmasters in 2010, I began to understand the difference between verbal and written communication and I have found my voice public speaking. Through Inspiring Max, I hope to find my voice online, which is a challenge, as my life has been private up to this point.

The double rainbow is a rare and beautiful thing that inspires even more hope. It reminds us that after the storm there can be a beautiful ending. At the time I took this photo from Melbourne Aquatic Centre in 2011, life wasn’t necessarily easy but by focusing on the positive, gold was eventually found at the end of the rainbow, in the most surprising places.

I hope that you too can find some inspiration following the double rainbow, and that you choose to come with me on this journey of discovery .

261 thoughts on “ABOUT”

  8. I had almost the same reaction/epiphany about life when I turned 50 last year and also started my blog….had been putting if off because I too am very private and blogging online requires that you give up your anonymity.

    Guess what you’re not going to believe this but I also took a picture of a double rainbow while vacationing in Florida a couple of years ago and it is one of my prized possessions.

    Happy Blogging 🙂

    Reply

  10. Hi Max — it looks like you’re off to a good start with this blog! I like your image of a spark of hope developing into a fire to light the way. I’ve added your site to a list of positive blogs that I keep on my own blog. 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Meg
      What a great idea! I look forward to joining your random kindness blog tour in the future when I can commit. Thanks for inclusion of Inspiring Max in your list of positive blogs. I appreciate it.

      Reply
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  20. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog … I am looking forward to read your stories too, your new writing adventure 🙂

    Cheers!

    Reply
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      • Love the double rainbow! IRT to your comment about private life, my daughter asked shouldn’t poetry be private? And I said sometimes, yes, if one writes for oneself or for someone else, but sometimes we would like to bring comfort or joy to others, and then our writing need not be private. That’s how I’ve dealt with that same question!

        Reply

    • Thank you for the nomination and I am pleased that you find my blog inspiring.I am feeling very special to be nominated twice in one week. If I can think of any other blogs to nominate I will accept this one as well because I think it is a great way to recognise new bloggers.

      Reply

  28. I love your welcome page! It is such a lovely one. I hope you find your public voice and enjoy writing your blog. Rainbows are one of my favourite parts of nature, and I like the meaning you have given them – ‘after the storm there can be a beautiful ending’. Very nicely written page.

    Reply

    • Thank you. I am honoured, however as I have accepted this award twice in the last two weeks I am unable to accept it again. I love that you describe my blog as positive and uplifting. I enjoy reading your blog.

      Reply

  31. I am so glad to connect with you here as a fellow traveller and sympathetic soul. I have been thinking about joining Toastmasters myself. I will look forward to your posts!

    Reply

  35. That’s a wonderful photo of double rainbow and I loved your interpretation which stands suitable not only for the photo but for the life as well. Toastmasters is great. I had been wanting to join it but for some or the other reason I keep on postponing it.

    Reply

  38. Hello there, IM! How lovely of you to have visited my page and for your follow – you are most kind! I look forward to discovering more inspiration here on your own site… it looks very promising, indeed! Cheers – xx Mother Hen

    Reply
  42. Pingback: A Ray of Hope - INSPIRING MAX

  44. Hi Max- I turned 33 recently and quit my job also. Now unemployed, and have been for 3 months, I’m looking for the end of that rainbow. I may have found my niche, but its more of a recreational/leisure time niche, and not an occupational one. I think blogging will help you straighten out your mind, and collect your thoughts. Good luck!

    Reply

    • Writing in general helps to clarify the mind and give order to you thoughts and plans. I am enjoying where my blogging journey is taking me. I hope you find your occupational niche soon—sometimes it hides where you least expect it. Sending positive thoughts.

      Reply

  46. Double rainbow .. and you had the camera with you .. Wow. I’ve got only two. Rainbow over Rome in April the day we were leaving. Obviously we had the camera to hand taking last minute shots. And I got one two days ago .. the full thing end to end was visible but my android could not cope with my excitement !!! Plus I had to park in the middle of the street which was not conducive. Anyway’s I got it.
    Don’t know how you found me .. but anyone who loves rainbows … I’m hanging around for more !! :).

    Reply

  48. Thanks for visiting and following my blog. After 50 life change, isn’t it? I also feel that. You mentioned that you helped people to improve their mental health and quality of life, how? Are you a Doctor or counselor?

    Reply

  51. Hello Max! I have been having great fun at Inspiring Max. You have a great site; very inspiring. I have been reading what people say about you and your blog.Man! People love what you are doing. I am sure we shall fire up each other. Keep going.

    Reply

    • Thank you. I was very humbled and grateful for your comment and recognition. I am pleased with the direction Inspiring max is taking and the way people are responding to it. I love adding positivity to the world and encouraging people to consider other options. This is only the beginning of our journey but I am excited about where it might take us.

      Reply

  56. Thanks for stopping by on my blog earlier. I can’t find the option to follow you on WordPress, but have liked your FB page. 🙂 I do hope you will decide to follow my blog back. 🙂

    Reply

    • I followed you the other day. i was drawn to your 6 month celebration post. We are growing and learning in this together.Officially my blog is 7 months but I have only been blogging in any real way for 4 months.Facebook is great as I am WordPress.org blog and things are a little different for me.

      Reply

  59. Hi,
    First of all thanks for following my blog!
    You are most welcome!
    It is my pleasure to welcome such a wonderful person at my blog.
    Yes, I do understand, how much It is satisfying to be in the company of like minded souls!
    So, from today, I too started to follow your blog.
    In fact, like you, I too always in search of like minded souls!
    So, it is my open invitation to all !!!!

    Reply

  61. hi there everybody. some great comments. I ,too saw a double rainbow in Melbourne summer of 2011.. I was at the beach in werribee south. same one???.. it is so awesome when you see a full one or a double like this. The best full one I saw was in South Australia, way out near Morgan, overlooking the cliffs on Murray river and the storm was still really pitch black behind it.

    Reply

  62. Thank you for the follow! I’ll look forward to reading your posts. I went to Toastmasters once to check it out and liked it but I think I still need more courage to go back and join 🙂

    Reply

  65. To; INSPIRING MAX;
    DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY; I WAS NOMINATED FOR “Very Inspiring Blogger Award”; STILL; I HAVE NOT DECIDED TO HONOR IT OR NOT; BUT IN CASE; IF I HONOR IT AND MAKE YOU ONE OF THE NOMINEES OF THAT AWARD? WILL YOU ACCEPT THE INVITATION???????????
    PLEASE LET ME KNOW; HERE ONLY; FOR YOUR REFERENCE; PLEASE STUDY THE LINK;
    EAGERLY AWAITING YOUR REPLY……………………….
    https://iamyourtwilightstar.wordpress.com/2015/01/23/its-an-award-shower-folks/

    Reply
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  69. Like you, I am entering my 5th decade…congratulations!

    I’m still working to find my writing voice, and a blog certainly helps! I was in toastmasters while living in another part of California and truly enjoyed it. Your About ./ Intro page reminds me to consider it again and locate a group where I now live.

    Take care,

    — Jane

    Reply

    • I find Toastmasters also helps the writing process as you practise thinking on your feet. I am sure you will be welcomed with open arms. I am enjoying life in the 5th. Love how you put that.

      Reply

      • I’m going to start calling it life in the 5th now…:-) Yes, good point on toastmasters and writing, plus writing and consolidating thoughts for the speeches.

        Reply

  75. It is amazing how many people who wouldn’t find it easy to reach out to others, now choose to express themselves and communicate via blogging – long live WordPress and all the other providers!

    The world can now get INSPIRED in so many ways, and a great one of them is inspiring max!

    Reply

  76. Thanks for following my blog, and I’m glad to discover yours. I see we have some things in common: the weekly Share Your World challenge, the recent WordPress poetry writing course. I look forward to reading more of your posts.

    Reply

  79. Hi, Max –
    Thank you for subscribing to my blog! Here you may find more than 3500 pictures from Norway and Norwegian nature, mostly in ‘full screen modes’, and – new pictures will be posted on a regular scale! Please enjoy!

    And if you really appreciate what you find here, please tell all your friends! 🙂

    Reply
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  81. Thank you for following my blog. I am returning the favor and have enjoyed perusing your posts about Australia. I’m an American, but I lived in Adelaide when I was in high school a very long time ago, and it was one of the best times of my life. I remember it as if it were yesterday.

    Reply

  82. Hi there!
    Thank you for visiting and following my blog 🙂
    I am a huge fan of rainbows – but don’t think I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing a double one… how amazing!
    Hope to keep seeing you around mynuttydubai 🙂

    Reply

    • Thank you for your nomination. I am grateful and delighted you find Inspiring Max versatile and worthy. As I recently accepted this award I won’t be formally accepting it and passing it on.

      Reply

    • Thank you for the compliment. I am honoured you have nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award however I have formally accepted it and passed it on before. Congratulations on your award you deserve it.

      Reply

  91. thank you for dropping in on my little corner of wordpress. i am honoured that you chose to follow my travel and photo blog.( i also have a baking blog if you want to do some virtual eating 🙂 )
    i really enjoyed your bio and love those shots of lake taupo- i spent january 1914 in NZ and loved every minute! i look forward to seeing more beautiful shots of NZ
    anne

    Reply

  94. Hi there, just stopping by to say thanks for following my blog. I work for my local authority on issues relating to mental health – I’m currently leading on a “Whole Life Disability” review – so have the utmost respect for anyone who’s been working in this field for so long 🙂

    Happy blogging x

    Reply

  95. Hello from Türkiye… just wanted to say “thank you”, I appreciate your recent ‘follow’, knowing how many interesting and entertaining blogs there are out there.

    Blogging since June 2013, my little corner of the world tries to offer an eclectic smattering of posts, from basic amateur photography, to sharing my travel adventures over the decades, as well as day-to-day happenings here on our fruit farm in southern Turkey. I also throw in a few of my observations on life and lighter-hearted stuff for good measure.

    You are more than welcome to have a look around, stay a while and have a trawl through my collection. There are plenty of categories within the drop-down menus to help in said digging process.

    Hope you have a great day…

    SPIKE

    Reply

  98. Thanks for following my blog! I hope you enjoy the randomness of it all. I am looking forward to meandering through more of your posts–I’ve just done a quick scan now–especially the ones about my country–Canada! Cheers!

    Reply

  100. Thank you for dropping by and the follow on Desert Moon Musings. I look forward to reading more inspiring posts (I sure could use them at this stage in my life!) …

    Reply

  102. Thank you for liking a posting on Renaissance Musings and for following. I really appreciate that. I hope you find other postings interesting. I started in January of 2014 and have enjoyed every minute.

    Keep up the good work.

    Reply
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  104. Greetings, inspiringmax. Thanks so much for following my blog. I am still surprised and overwhelmed when others like (or at least visit) my blog. I’m a “newbie” of less than 3-months; and the number of incredible talented bloggers in this world is mind-boggling. So, yes, I really appreciate your interest.. Your about page tells me I will enjoy your inspirational posts. Looking forward to them. I’m a fan of rainbows, too. Never seen a double one though. Hope I am blessed like your and India.

    Reply

    • I think blogging gets better the more I do it because of the connections I make with other bloggers. Blogging is a journey that is constantly changing. I am looking forward to seeing you grow and enjoying our journey together.

      Reply

  109. Nice posts Max. Thanks for Liking my post on Harsh Reality. I like your attitude, and just like you, I decided to start blogging close to my 50th birthday and I’m 50 now. I love to make people laugh, and whilst I take my work and life seriously, I don’t take myself seriously in it at all! Then again, life has it’s hard times too. I will enjoy following you. All the best.
    ps: I’m an Aussie too, actually, a Melbournian.

    Reply

    • Thank you.The blogging community is wonderful. I have learnt a lot enjoy the journey as we support each other to grow and develop. Looking forward to visiting you. Melbourne is a great city.

      Reply

  111. Thank you so much for humbling me by following my blog. I can see instantly from reading this introduction that I will want to do the same in return. I will take a little tour around your blog now but you struck so many chords with this piece I’m sure I’ll be reaching for the Like Button several times over 🙂

    Reply
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  121. I just wanted to wish you an early Happy New Year. Thank you so much for your words of encouragement this past year. May you find renewed fulfillments in your blogs this New Year and may your blogging families ever increase. Blessings. Roger

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Rodger. I enjoy our regular contact through the blogging world and hope our relationship continues this year. I hope 2016 is filled with health and happiness.

      Reply

  122. Hi! Some time ago you were kind enough to follow my site http://www.ladiesgamers.com, which is a mix of articles about handheld gaming and real life. Recently I made the move from WordPress.com to a self hosted WordPress site, and although I’ve moved my followers with me, it seems no one has been getting notifications about my new posts since. ?
    Now it might well be that you haven’t missed it one bit, but if you’d still like to stay up to date: please follow me again or subscribe by email. Thanks!

    Reply

  123. Thanks so much for following ZimmerBitch. Fifty seems to be a huge, positive milestone in so many people’s lives. Great to hear about your journeys into greater awareness and self-discovery.

    Reply

      • I wonder if, as women have children later, 60 will soon be the new 50 in terms of that feeling of liberation? My son was 15 when I turned 50 and actually that wasn’t a great year for me. But as each year has passed since then, I am stronger and happier and like myself better. Sounds like you are in a very similar place. Cheers, Su.

        Reply
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  128. Great to find your blog and to share a coffee together. I was very involved in Toastmasters when I was at school and it also turned out to be the launch of my social life as a teenager. So, you could say that I learned more about communication there than I’d anticipated.
    By the way, strong winds have been forecast for tonight and we llve a few streets back from the beach and I can hear the wind whipping up and the sea working up. It sounds rather spooky but at least it’s not howling tonight. Leaving the dogs inside tonight.
    Take care.
    xx Rowena

    Reply

  129. Thanks for the follow inspiring Max, it is certainly an honor coming from a “senior” blogger like you and no I am not referring to your age!! While I started to blog on 2013 I only took a conscious decision to become “a blogger” in April this year (i.e. committing myself to blogging and reading other’s blogs and commenting. The weekly photo challenge which I discovered 2 weeks opened an international world of blogging which is also quite exiting. However while I do these in English I write a weekly blog in Afrikaans. See later

    Reply

  130. Hello! I’m Aena Zoraya, a fellow blogger like yourself. Seeing your blog with a growing community of readers and increasing readership, I would really appreciate any comments or suggestions from you.

    My blog, Word Exorcist, will be one-month old with only 13 posts. Most of my posts are one-word prompts or photo challenges from The Daily Post blogger’s community.

    In line with this, I am planning a project on publishing a series of blog articles. Seeing that you are currently following my blog, I want to know what kind of content you would like to see or prefer? Do you have any suggestions or anything you would like to share that made you click the follow button? Thank you so much for giving me a chance to share with you the inner workings of my mind.

    For the love of writing,
    Aena Zoraya

    http://www.wordexorcist.wordpress.com
    facebook.com/aenazoraya
    twitter.com/eynaraya

    Reply

    • Hi Aena My personal take on what makes a blog successful is quality content based on the bloggers individual style. When I use the prompt I like to mix them up and yet still have them based on something that fits my tag line of inspiration through my thoughts, travels and experiences. I also spend time visiting other blogs and engaging with my community which I think is essential. It has taken my 2 years to get to this point and I have learnt a lot along the way as I didn’t have one follower for the first month but I kept backing myself and slowly but surely they came. Enjoy the journey.

      Reply

  131. Hi I am glad to have found you on WP, I am a fellow Aussie of similar vintage. I love rainbows and regard them as a symbol of hope…so seeing your beautiful double rainbow was lovely. I think I will enjoy reading your posts 🙂

    Reply

  132. I’ve been lucky enough to see a few double rainbows in my time, but I’ve never managed to capture a photo like yours! Beautiful!

    Wishing you progress and optimism as you develop your online voice!

    Reply

  133. Hi Max. Great that you decided to blog at 50. I am almost at the corner to reach your age and started blogging recently, too. Let’s hope that all of us bloggers can help achieve a better interconnected world society and bring down barriers that still divide mankind. Best regards from the “Deep South (America)”, Fabio.

    Reply

  139. Hello! Thanks for finding my blog and following me. I look forward to seeing more of you, maybe even in the Friendly Friday Challenge!

    Reply

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