When you think of inspirational people, you think of positive leaders, of those who motivate you and bring out the best in you. You think of someone with the 'wow' factor, who has stopped dreaming and started achieving.
At the end of last year, the world watched the 43 year old Austrian Felix Baumgartner become the first skydiver to go faster than the speed of sound, jumping out of a balloon at 128,100ft (24 miles; 39km) above New Mexico and smashing the record for the highest ever freefall. Watching him fulfil an ambition and break a record was extreme and death-defying and most certainly inspiring. And though it might not have inspired you to break a World Record or, even skydive, watching him could easily inspire somebody to be just a little bit braver and to step outside of their comfort zone.
2012 also saw the Olympics hit London and the UK with the motto 'Inspire a Generation.' You may never be the future Jessica Ennis or Mo Farrah, but watching their determination, their focus and their motivation, might inspire you to become a little bit fitter or a little bit faster.
There are inspirational figures all around us, not just the record breakers.
* The Mum of three who juggles motherhood with setting up her own business
* The teenager who has been diagnosed with an illness and decides to raise thousands of pounds for charity and awareness
* The woman who gets off the sofa and decides to train for a marathon
Inspiring people come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life. The people you choose as friends often inspire you. They lift you up instead of drag you down. Share your daily achievements with others and let them share theirs with you, and you never know who you might inspire next or who might tell you something that changes your life. Sometimes it can be refreshing to switch off from the bad things and people of the world, who often hit the headlines, and celebrate the good ... there's a LOT of good!
And this next bit is the shameless plug ... I have launched a new magazine ... Delilah Magazine, which is ALL about inspiring people, places and things. It celebrates the everyday person and their individual stories. Issue One is available free of charge and the hope is to get Issue Two to print (with a designer!).
Please take a look, have a read and be inspired. http://issuu.com/delilahmagazine/docs/delilahmagazine1.
The magazine's official website is www.delilahmagazine.com or it can be found on Facebook or Twitter